


Euphoria :: .c.r.b. ('skittish' book 2)

by xx_colbys_queen_xx



Category: Colby Brock - Fandom, Harley Quinn (Comics), Mike's Dead - Fandom, Sam and Colby, Why Don't We - Fandom
Genre: #I fixed the tags, #colbybrock, #plottwist, #relationships, #samandcolby, #samgolbach, #sequels are always beter, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-11-09 10:20:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 32
Words: 44,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20851844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xx_colbys_queen_xx/pseuds/xx_colbys_queen_xx
Summary: It's a sequel! First sequel I've ever written to one of my own books! You'll like this one, a lot.It brings up a lot from the last book so make sure you read that one first. It will help most of this stuff make sense.Love my readers 💕💕





	1. Chapter 1

-1 Year Later-

\-----------------

"Corey!! Where's Colby at?!" 

Hey, it's Harley. And- before you ask- yes, I am perfectly me again. You didn't get to know me much in the past chapters but hey, we're gonna fix that. Currently, I'm pretty sure my boyfriend Colby and brother Corey are playing a prank on me. Or- something of that nature. Because I was just getting home from the mall with Kat and we were gone for like- three hours, and the house is silent. Which is extremely odd for our house. You guys watch the videos, you know what it's like. 

Being gone for so long- and knowing I had a loving and amazing boyfriend at home- I wanted to come straight home and just plop down on the bed or couch with him and talk. Or cuddle. It usually ends up being both. He may look all toughy-tough guy, and he is, but he can be a huge softy sometimes. Especially around me. The guys tease him constantly saying that I'm his weakness. But I don't think I've ever heard him deny it. 

Okay but like- where the hell is my brother? And boyfriend?

"Hello?! The house is rarely quiet guys, you're not fooling anyone!!"

I jumped up the stairs two by two as usual and jogged down the hall to Colby's room, but froze before I opened the door. I leaned closer to the white wood and- wait. Wait a hot second. Is that- is that Devyn? What the hell?!

"Um... what is this?!" I exclaimed in shock as I opened the door. And guess what? I was right! This is bad on so many levels. One, Colby is MY FREAKING BOYFRIEND. Mine! And I've always been a little jealous of Devyn because- well who wouldn't be, it's Devyn. But this is a whole new level. I'm pissed off. One hundred percent enraged. There's another girl in my boyfriend's bed. "I don't even know what to say."

"Baby! Baby wait!" Colby got up and ran after me, Devyn behind him but her gate was delayed like she was being careful about something. I didn't give two fu- craps. Yep. That's what I meant. "Harley!"

"What, Colby?!" I turned to him after hitting the bottom of the stairs, tears pouring down my cheeks in mostly anger. "What do you have to say for yourself?!"

"It's a prank!"

"Oh my god," I scoffed. He's a prankster, everyone knows this. He's the best at his craft. He pranks everyone in the entire house almost daily. But this is a whole new low. Like- this hurt. A freaking lot. 

"Baby come here," Colby chuckled but his entire facial expression and desperateness to embrace me told me he was all but happy and instead nervous. He knows he took a leap too far. Not just a step, he just bounded off like a cheetah in the opposite direction. 

"No!" I pushed him away and Devyn came down the stairs with the camera in her hands. She waved with a slight giggle. "I can't believe you two. You don't- you don't prank people about this kind of thing. Colbs you know how I am."

"I know, I overstepped. For goodness sakes come here, woman," Colby pulled me in roughly and hugged me. "I wouldn't ever cheat on you, babe. I'm lucky to have you."

"What were you thinking when you first saw us?" Devyn asked with another one of her classic Devyn giggles. 

"You honestly don't want to know what I was thinking," We all chuckled at my honest comment. It was funny, and obvious, and very true. 

"Should have mentioned she's protective," Colby looked down at me in the hug and poked my nose with his. "Lowkey was ready to hold you back from fighting Devyn."

"I was thinking about it to be honest, no offense, Dev," I looked back at her and rolled my eyes a little at the camera. "Colby's a bully, guys."

"Hey!" Colby frowned a little, then smirked as a better comeback popped up in his head. "You love me though. And you can't combat that because you know damn well I'm right."

"You're very right, Colby. But you owe me for this," I told him. "So you best be thinking of ways to make it up to me, Cole."

"Oof, I hate it when you call me that," Colby cringed. 

"What? Your name?" Devyn, Colby, and I laughed at my remark. 

"Okay, I'm the meanie, huh?" Colby took the camera from Devyn. "You goofball."

Just as Colby turned the camera off, Corey came through the front door and froze seeing me, Colby, and Devyn standing at the bottom of the stairs with a camera. 

"There some kind of event going on or something?" He hung his keys on the keyholder we installed for the house by the front door. About a month ago everyone started losing their keys and ended up having to borrow each other's cars or constantly order Ubers to the house, until eventually Sam got sick of everyone always complaining about having to look for their keys for hours that he got a keyholder installed that way no one would lose their keys. It's even labeled with names. 

"Your girlfriend and my boyfriend are so mean, Corey," I hugged my brother and he snickered looking back behind me at Devyn and Colby. 

"What did you do, babe?" Corey asked, kissing Devyn and she giggled again. I swear that's all this girl ever does. Is giggle. But it shows she's a happy person and I mean she makes Corey happy so... 

"We pranked her, and pranked her good," Colby said. 

Let me just say. Colby Robert Brock looks hella fine shirtless. Like- damn- that's my man? What? 

"Yeah, you're a BULLY, COLE!!!" I yelled and ran to the living room, knowing full well he would follow me. 

"STOP CALLING ME THAT, WOMAN!!" Sure enough Colby came sprinting after me and I squeaked once I saw him and ran through the living room to the film room. But he stopped following me. Oh sh- he's gonna scare me. 

"Colby I swear if you scare me I'm gonna-"

"BAH!!" Colby popped around the corner and scared the living light out of me, causing me to fall back on my butt hard on the wood floor. 

"Owwww!! Colby!!! Corey!!! He's being mean again!!!"

"Hey! Sis! That's your boyfriend! He's your problem!" Corey replied, making Colby smirk. 

"I got you good... again," Colby held his hand out while trying to catch his breath to help me up. I grabbed his hand but yanked him down on the floor next to me, landing right on top of me. I hit my head on the floor and he ended up laying on top of me. We both started laughing. God I love his laugh. And the dimples on his cheeks that come out whenever he genuinely smiles. Okay, I'll stop ranting now. He's a beautiful human. 

"I just got home and you've already abused me," I said, rubbing the back of my head. "My butt hurts. I might not be able to sit right for a few days."

"Hey, shut it," Colby kissed me but I shoved him off of me and BOLTED for the back door. Colby, shocked, ran after me and pretty much slammed the back door closed behind him. "Woman you gotta stop running."

"And you need to keep running if you're already out of breath!" I fired back with a laugh. I sat at the edge of the pool and dangled my feet in the water. Colby sat next to me. 

"You're crazy," Colby told me. 

"It's why you love me," I reminded him, and he nodded.

"Yeah, accurate. Because I'm just as insane as you are," Colby replied. 

"Bet."

"Bet?" Colby looked around the backyard a moment, then smirked. "Bet you won't jump into the pool fully clothed from the tallest ledge on Elton's diving block."

"Bet!" I got up and jogged around the pool. Because running around a pool is unsafe kids. Then I climbed up the staicase to the tallest ledge of the diving block like Colby said, then jumped into the pool but stayed under with plans of pranking Colby. 

I took swimming in high school, so holding my breath is like a sixth sense for me. So I held my breath for as long as I could, then eventually Colby dove into the water and lifted me up to the surface. He looked at me with intense worry. "Baby? Hey, Harley, hello?!"

"Gotchya," I giggled and he rolled his eyes. 

"You're a butt, a real butt," Colby said as we swam up to the edge of the pool again and sat. I leaned into him as a breeze blew through the air and I got cold. He put his arm around me. Mission accomplished. 

"Yeah, my butt, the one you friggin injured in there."

"Hey, you're my girlfriend, so your butt is mine as well," Colby fired back. I mean... that was cute, but not really how it works...

"Whatever. Cole," I smirked up at him and he scoffed. 

"Oh shush," He shoved me back into the pool and I yanked his foot into the water, causing him to fall in right next to me. Both of us resurfaced at roughly the same time and before I could say anything Colby grabbed my waist and shoved his lips onto mine suddenly. God I love it when he does that. "I love you."

"I love you too, Colby."


	2. Chapter 2

So, Colby and Sam have a YouTube channel. Which means they have to go out and make videos, right? Yeah, well, now they’re going all the way to friggin Europe with my brother and Jake for a month. And I’m not allowed to come because they’ll be filming almost the entire trip. Right now Colby’s packing up his last bag for his trip and I’m sitting on his bed, pouting, not wanting him to leave for so long. 

“Babe!” I whined. “You’re leaving me!”

“Only for a month,” Colby zipped up his bag and set it on the floor next to his other bag. Then he pulled me up to my feet and wrapped his arms around me. I let my arms stay limp to my sides, pretty much letting him hug me. “Hey.”

“What? I’m not happy,” I frowned softly. “I don’t want you to leave. I’m gonna be so lonely.”

“You’ll have Devyn and Aaron and Buddy!”

“Yeah, but like… neither of them are you,” I whined.

“Aw, that was really cute,” Colby kissed my forehead. I love it when he does it. It makes me feel safe and wanted. What every girl wants in a relationship. 

“Colby! Come on, buddy! We gotta leave!” Sam yelled from down the hallway and down the staircase. It’s the second time he’s called Colby down since he started packing. “Colby!”

“Sam, if you tell my boyfriend to hurry up and leave me one more time I’m going to kidnap Kat and hide her somewhere for a month without a word!” I threatened jokingly. 

“Unfair! Because you’ll have full contact with Colby the entire trip!!” Sam fired back. “Colby, seriously though, man! We gotta go! We’re gonna mizz our flight!”

“I gotta go, baby,” Colby kissed me again and hugged me tightly. It wasn’t a normal ‘I love you’ hug. It was an ‘I’m seriously going to miss you’ hug. Like- I could sense it. It somehow felt desperate in a way. “I love you. A lot. Okay? I’ll keep in contact the entire time and I’ll call to say goodnight every night and I don’t care about the time differences. Bye, Harley.”

“Bye, Colby,” I let him go reluctantly and he grabbed his bags and left down the stairs. I heard the front door open and close, and I watched out the window as Colby, Sam, Corey, and Jake put their bags in the back of a white van and they all piled into it and drove off.

My phone dinged with a text notification and I launched myself onto Colby’s bed where my phone was and scrambled to open messages. Colby texted me : I miss you already love xxx

“Trap House!!!” I yelled as I jumped down the stairs. “I’m bored!!!”

“Dude they just left,” Aaron looked up from his phone while sitting on the couch. Buddy curled up asleep next to him. “And shush, Buddy’s asleep.”

“Well you’re no fun,” I left the living room with a pout and sat on one of the chairs at the small kitchen table. I sighed in boredom defeat and was at a complete loss of ideas. “Brennen!”

I’ve known Brennen for maybe as long as Colby has. We’ve been friends for a while and we like to tease Colby about him going so soft around me. Don’t know why he’s always been like that, but Brennen gets a kick out of it so. Why not. And it’s not like we’re bullying Colby, because he admits it and thinks it’s kinda funny as well. 

“Colby just left didn’t he?” Brennen asked over the phone. He’s half asleep. How in the world can he be asleep?! His best friend just left on his trip for a month across the world and he’s ASLEEP?! 

“Okay how the hell are you sleeping right now?!” I yelled rather loudly into the phone, and Aaron shot me a glare from across the entryway as Buddy got up from his place on the couch and ran up the stairs. 

“Well, I was, looks like I have a human alarm clock,” I heard Brennen open his blinds and turn his light on, then he sighed heavily. “I have to clean my place and film something today. I’m booked. Sorry, Harley.”

“Oh plbbblth!” I blew a raspberry into the phone and pouted. “Fine. No one is any fun.”

I decided to go upstairs back into Colby’s room, shut the door, and plop onto his bed and lie there until I either one, fell asleep. Or two, got an idea of something to do. I could just feel myself drift off to sleep when my phone went off with another text notification. I lifted the screen and read another text from Colby. I frowned softly at what it said : hey, go out for a drive or something. I know it’s weird not having me there to hang out with, but Brennen and Aaron have both texted me saying they needed my help with you. I love you, remember that.

“I don’t wanna take a drive…” I turned my phone off and sighed shakily. This is the very first time I’ll be away from Colby for longer than a day or two. He’ll be gone an entire month. I’m not prepared, and I’m scared, and now that I’m thinking about how long he’ll be gone it’s making my eyes water. Frustratedly, I wiped my eyes and huffed, burying my face into Colby’s grey pillow that smelled freshly of his cologne. 

He sprayed his pillows with his cologne before he left. Okay now I’m actually crying. 

He knows I’m insecure and that’s why I’m protective over him. I mean, you saw how I reacted with the cheating prank. Not well. At all. And he’ll be in Europe for a month. I’m not saying he’ll do anything up there and take advantage of the fact I’m not with him. Take advantage of the fact that he doesn’t have his petty little possessive girlfriend with him… 

Okay, I’m overthinking. A lot. Usual for me though, I always overthink things. That’s not a bad thing though. Helps me mentally prepare for scary things sometimes and that’s when I learn to appreciate my overthinking-ness? Is that a word? Obviously not but it is now. Overthinking-ness. That’s hard to say. Say it I dare you. You just did it didn’t you? Now you’re laughing at yourself for listening to me. Well good, I’m glad you’re happy and I cheered you up. 

I miss my boyfriend… =(

(yes I just put a frowny face there, fight me)

\-----

About an hour and a half later, I woke up and made my way downstairs. I’m on a mission. Where’s Aaron? 

“Hey, Aaron? You home still?”

Silence. Did he leave? I don’t even hear Buddy. 

“Devyn?! You home?!” I yelled again, a little anxious honestly that no one’s replying to me. “Is anyone home?! At all?!”

I searched the house and it was completely empty. There weren’t any texts on my phone other than Colby telling me he was filming and wouldn’t be able to reply to texts for a bit but he would text me when he was done. I replied with an ‘ok’ and a black heart emoji. Most couples would send a red or a blue or a purple or even a yellow heart. No, we send black ones. It just looks cooler, don’t judge. 

No one told me they were leaving. Aaron’s room was spotless and it usually ever is. Buddy’s stuff is gone as well. And Devyn left a note on Corey’s bed saying she’d be gone at a family thing for a month while Corey’s in Europe but she’d be back. Then drew a little smiley face. Ugh. 

So everyone left… and didn’t tell me a thing. Brennen’s filming, Colby and Corey and Sam and Jake are in Europe. But I guess it wouldn’t really matter if Brennen wasn’t filming, with the way that Colby sounded from his text about Brennen and Aaron, it was like a loving way to say ‘stop bothering people’. I’m not upset with Colby, I’m upset with Aaron and Brennen. But I guess it’s my fault. 

I’m sorry, I guess. I don’t know how to act without Colby. Because the longest I’ve been away from him is a day and even then I was with Corey and our family. I had something and someone to occupy myself so it wasn’t that bad. Now I’m potentially alone for an entire month. 

Great. Yeah. I feel loved.


	3. Chapter 3

-12 Hours Later, or that night, whichever sounds better to you-

“So they just left?” Colby asked over Skype. His sleepy face is taking over my laptop screen right now and I’m taking over his. It’s almost like he’s here but he’s obviously not. 

“Yeah. Devyn left a note and Aaron texted a few minutes ago. At eleven. He said he was staying at a friend's for a while because his mom’s in the hospital. He doesn’t know how long he’ll be there but he’ll be gone for a while. And Brennen hasn’t said anything since I called him this morning.”

“Oh… I’m sorry…” Colby frowned, then sucked in a breath and sighed it out slowly, changing the subject to a happier one. He’s never been one to linger on negative topics. Neither of us are. We’re positive, goofy, and happy people. “You like what I did with the pillows?”

“Yeah,” I cuddled one to my chest and rested my chin on it. “They’re nice. Thank you.”

“Yeah,” He smiled softly, but it faded a little as he saw something I was trying to hide. “Baby you’re crying.”

“I’m sorry,” I laughed softly and sniffled, wiping my eyes. I hate crying in front of him. Especially now because it’s only the first day and I’m already failing at being strong. 

“What’s on your mind, love?” He asked, closing the hotel room door and shutting the lights off, then he adjusted the brightness on his computer screen. 

“I’m such a nuisance to the group,” I scoffed, feeling more tears fall down my cheeks. “I can’t ever find a happy medium between super quiet and super loud. And I annoy people. I feel like Brennen’s upset with me, and Aaron. And I feel like as soon as they could, everyone left the house without telling me, almost like they were trying to escape.”

“Babe,” Colby frowned. “I didn’t know you felt that way. I’m sorry, but none of that is true.”

“Yeah it is, Colbs,” I sighed, and he nodded as he went silent. “I’m sorry… I don’t know where this is coming from. I’m a happy person.”

“I know,” Colby looked up. “Babe it’s okay to not be okay sometimes. It’s rough right now and you’re letting out emotions about it. It’s not a bad thing.”

“I just feel like everyone tolerates me when you’re here and with me but when you’re gone or it’s just me somewhere everyone avoids me,” I explained whilst looking down, avoiding eye contact because I know he’d give me that look. That Colby Brock look that says clearly ‘okay that was a load of bull’. 

“You’re insecure about yourself, about us and me being away because you’re not confident with how you act without me. I know, baby I know, okay? Hey, look at me,” I looked up at Colby and bit my lip a little, eyes watering more than they were before. “But listen, I fell in love with you because of those insecurities, okay? You’re loud and crazy and super fucking adorkable and I love it. I love you, all of you.”

“I needed to hear that. You know all the right words to say,” I wiped my eyes and cuddled into the pillow further, filling my nose and lungs with the scent of Colby’s cologne. It calmed me down almost immediately. “I just- I’ve never been alone for so long before.”

“Brennen will come around. You’ve been buddies for a while. I bet you could ask Kat to hang out, oh wait no- she’s on tour, sorry,” Colby sighed softly. “I don’t know, baby. You’re creative. You’ll think of something I know it. I believe in you.”

“Am I too clingy?”

Colby seemed a little shocked about my question. I was afraid I came off rude and I honestly have no idea where it came from. Another insecurity I guess that I needed clearing up. Nevertheless, he answered.

“I mean, sometimes you’re a little much, but you’re doing a lot better with toning it down,” Colby replied. “You really are insecure aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” I laughed tearfully. “I really am. I don’t know why all of this is coming out at a super inconvenient time, I’m sorry if I’m keeping you up.”

“No, no, baby stop,” Colby frowned at me, a legitimate frown like he was upset about this as well. Maybe even a little sad as well. He examined my face for a little bit and sighed while shaking his head a little. “I’m sorry. It’s my job to help you get rid of those insecurities. I’m sorry for never noticing before, I should have. Now I’m gone for a month and you’re alone and I feel bad.”

“Don’t be upset, Colby. None of this is your fault,” I told him sadly as well. I hate it when he’s upset. Good job Harley, you made him sad. What is wrong with me? It’s only the first day of him being gone and I’m already freaking out. “It’s just- me finding myself I guess. I’ve just gotta refocus while you’re gone, maybe spending time on my own is gonna be good for me.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Colby yawned heavily. “I’ve had a long day of filming, I’m gonna head to bed, okay? I love you.”

“I love you too, Colbs, goodnight.”

“Night, princess.”

I closed my laptop and was left to my thoughts. Even though I just semi-resolved this problem, I still feel like a total mess. Why am I such a mess when Colby’s not around? I’m almost one hundred percent sure that everyone else in the friend group tolerates me because Colby loves me. 

Then I upset Colby while he’s on his trip. I could have just messed up his videos because he’ll be thinking about me the whole time. I love Colby with all of me, I’m just not sure I can keep this up much longer. Being tolerated. I mean, Devyn and Aaron left the house without warning. None of our other friends have contacted me wanting to hang out because Colby and pretty much the whole house is gone. 

I slept well the rest of the night, but woke up the next morning late and feeling very sluggish. Maybe I could clean something, I mean, the whole house is gone I could play music as loud as I want. Yeah, I’m gonna do that. It’ll help me get my mind off of things for a little while. Where’s my speakers?

I turned on some music and let it play for a while before I got up and started cleaning up Colby’s messy room. I snapped a picture to send him later with a small laugh, I think this is the cleanest his room’s ever been, to be honest. Not trying to make him look bad, but he would admit, his room is never this clean. I went downstairs after that and saw that the rest of the house was pretty much clean and again was left with my thoughts. 

I got my phone out and texted Brennen and asked him what he was up to but if he’s busy then not to stress about anything. It was read… but not replied to. He must be busy again today. I seriously sat on the couch in silence for at least twenty minutes, completely confused about what to do. I could take a trip back home but that would take too long and I just don’t feel like going back home right now. I could go volunteer at an animal shelter or something? Nah, I’m not patient enough for that. 

I decided on checking my social media. But honestly really shouldn’t. Because the Tweets and comments I got about Colby’s trip weren’t very nice. At all. They’re listed below, I can’t emotionally handle telling them to you. 

“I bet she’d go insane without Colby there, just watch.”

“She’s not gonna be able to handle being alone.”

“I don’t know how Colby loves her honestly, she’s a total crackhead.”

“I wonder if she ever annoys herself. Probably does.”

“It’s funny how she thinks she’s friends with some of the Trap House members. They’re obviously annoyed with her.”

“I wonder if Colby tells Sam he’s tired of her but is too scared to break up with her because she’ll go crazy.”

Yeah… oof... 

If other people are seeing it too, then shouldn’t I be listening to them?

I debated telling Colby about them but decided against it because I’ve already bothered him enough on his trip. I shouldn’t bug him anymore. From now on I think I’ll let him text me first just in case. Because I’ve already annoyed Devyn and Aaron and Brennen enough, who’s to say I wouldn’t bug Colby?


	4. Chapter 4

-Colby’s Message-

“Babe, why aren’t you texting me or calling me or any of that? I miss you, a lot. Call me back when you get this. You have no idea how much I miss you, it’s been days. I love you.”

-End Message-

I pressed call on Colby’s contact and it rang a total of twice before he picked up. “Hey, beautiful. I need to talk to you…” 

“Okay,” I sat on his bed and pulled the blankets up over my crisscrossed legs. “What’s up? You okay?”

“Yeah, well, not really actually…” Colby sighed, which alarmed me almost immediately. From his message he left me it sounded like he was in a happier mood. Now I’m not so sure. 

“Okay, well, what’s wrong? We’ll talk it out like we always do.”

“I’m just- I’m hoping this doesn’t affect you too negatively,” He told me, which again, set off alarms in my head. “But I overheard Corey and Jake talking and I think you should know what was said.”

“Colby you’re scaring me,” I told him, concerned about what exactly he had to say to me. 

“They were talking about the house and Aaron and Devyn and why they weren’t the nicest to you. And it turns out,” Colby sighed softly and closed a door. “They one hundred percent don’t hate you.”

“Colby Brock,” I shook my head and we both shared a laugh. “You are- evil. You’re an evil human.”

“Yeah, they said they just genuinely both had things going on and it was the same with Brennen, he was just stressed, and that’s all that was really going on. No one hates you, love.”

“That’s a relief, but have you seen the things people are saying about you and me on the media? They don’t seem to get that memo.”

“Yeah, I have seen them. Our fanbase is taking a turn down the hate road but honestly, we know what’s actually going on we actually know the feelings between everyone in the house. Who’s to say we let other people, complete strangers, decide how we live our lives, right?”

“Yeah, I guess, thanks baby for calling me, I honestly was beginning to feel really beaten down about it. I believed the media and I shouldn’t have.”

“You’re okay, the media is brutal,” Colby said. “But you’re a trooper. Hey, I love you, I gotta go, alright?”

“Yeah, love you too. Bye.”

“Bye, beautiful.”

~~~~~~

-That night in a nightmare…-

“No! No! Get off of me!!” 

The faded image of the man… the man that hurt me came into view, emerging from the dark depths of my memory and suddenly I was tied up with ropes behind my back. He grabbed my face and forced me to look up at him.

“Don’t… not- not again… I can’t go through this again…”

“Oh, it won’t be me this time, pet,” The man lowly chuckled as a familiar face popped up behind him. Corey… my brother… 

“Hey, Harles,” Corey smirked and stroked my cheek. “This should be fun. And hey, look, you got a show to watch too!”

Corey moved my face to see Colby, completely naked, tied up to a table, being raped as well. Corey came behind me and grabbed my hair but the only thing I could focus on was Colby’s loud screaming and sobbing in pain. 

He cried out for me but I couldn’t help him. So I tried calling back for him so he could at least find comfort in my voice. “Colby! Colby! You’re okay! We’ll be okay!”

~~~~~~

-Waking up-

“Colby!” I screamed out as I woke up, tears pouring down my cheeks. I checked the time, four-thirty in the morning. “It was a dream, just- go get some water. Yeah, let’s go get some water.”

I rose from Colby’s bed and took a deep breath in my lungs and sighed it out shakily, taking small, slow steps to the door until I was out in the hallway. It was pitch black. 

Voices in my head started talking as I walked slowly down the hallway. 

“This should be fun! And look! You have a show too!”

“Hey, pet, you thought I was gone, huh?”

Pictures of Colby being raped in my dream filled my head and it brought me to tears as I dropped to my knees against the wall and sobbed, hard, with the torment. 

“You’re nothing but a toy. You’re useless. You can’t even help your boyfriend.”

“You did this to him. This is your fault.”

“Harley?” A voice spoke and I looked up, only seeing a dark shadow at the top of the stairs. “Hey, you okay?”

“No! G-go away! Please!”

“Hey, hey, you’re okay, it’s Elton!” Elton rubbed my shoulder. “It’s Elton. You’re okay. What happened?”

“Nightmare…” I sniffled. “I-I had a nightmare… i-it was Corey this time…”

“I’m sorry, you’re okay, you need anything what did you get up for?”

“Just to get out of my head… m-maybe water?”

“Yeah, yeah let me help you,” Elton took my hand and helped me to my feet and into the kitchen where I sat on a chair at the small dining room table. Elton filled a glass of water and handed it to me, then sat in the chair next to me. 

“D’you wanna talk about it?” Elton asked, unsure of how to speak to me at the moment. 

“No…” I muttered in reply. “I just wanna forget about it.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Elton replied as our small talk dove into a peaceful silence. “I got something for you. While I was in Australia.”

“You did?” I looked at him and set my glass down. 

“Yeah, I did, let me go get it,” Elton got up and walked into the garage and came back with a backpack in his hand. He sat down and unzipped it, then pulled out a stuffed koala. “Here. I know you identify koalas with Colby so I figured it would be nice for you to have while he’s gone.”

“Yeah, thank you,” I set it in my lap and stroked its grey fur, then cleared my throat. “I think I’m okay now.”

“Yeah, okay,” Elton and I both stood up. “You want me to help you up to your room?”

“No,” I replied quietly. “I-I’m okay, thank you.”

“Yeah, of course, goodnight.”

“Night…”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short one, sorry

-3rd POV-

“Hey, Elton. What’s up?”

Elton’s calling Colby one afternoon about the nightmares Harley’s been having. She hasn’t been very honest with Colby about what’s going on, but she keeps having the same nightmare every night and it tortures her. She’s been acting off and different since she’s had them and Elton’s scared that if nothing changes she’ll go back to how she was after the accident. 

“Has Harley told you anything?”

“Anything as in…? I need you to elaborate, buddy,” Colby chuckled a little. 

“Anything weird- like- about her sleep or something?” Elton asked again. 

“No? I don’t think so. Why? Is something going on?”

“She’s had the same horrible nightmare every night for a week and a half now,” Elton said. “I’m scared about her, man. She hasn’t left your room in two days.”

“Really?” Colby raised an eyebrow. “That’s unlike her.”

Corey, sitting next to Colby, grew concerned and could almost tell that Colby was talking about Harley. So he asked what was going on but Colby told him to wait a moment.

“I know, I just wanted to let you know if there was anything you could do to like- encourage her or something.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I could call her,” Colby sighed in defeat. “I thought we got rid of that. Of her fear. Has she told you what they’re about?”

“The accident,” Elton said, knowing Colby would understand what he meant. “But she said this time it was Corey in place of the man and you were um… facing the same fate right in front of her.”

“That’s horrible,” Colby frowned. “Is she awake? I know she goes to bed early sometimes.”

“I have no idea, buddy. Like I said, she hasn’t left your room in a while,” Elton told him. “You could call her or something. I’d recommend you do that sooner rather than later if you can. Just because I’m scared for her, man.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Alright well, I’mma go then. I’ll text you tonight if I get through to her, thanks for telling me, man.”

“Yeah.”

As Colby pulled his phone away from his ear and looked down at the screen, Corey took advantage of him not being too distracted to ask. “Who was that?”

“Elton. He told me Harley’s been having the same really bad nightmare for a week and a half and it’s affecting her mental state again,” Colby explained then put his phone to his ear. “I’m calling her right now. Elton said she hasn’t left my room in two days.”

“God…” Corey frowned. “I hate how she doesn’t tell anyone.”

“She doesn’t want us to worry, Corey,” Colby reminded him. “You know Harley. She hates it when we worry about her.”

“Colby?”

“Hey baby, I got a question for you,” Colby told Harley over the phone and left their hotel room to walk around the hallways whilst talking and found himself at the indoor pool area. It was empty and quiet so he took advantage of the privacy and sat in a chair in there. 

“Okay…” Harley sat up on Colby’s bed and rubbed her eyes tiredly. She was in the process of trying to get herself to sleep. “What’s up?”

“Have you been sleeping okay lately?” Colby asked while fidgeting with one of the white drawstrings on the grey sweatpants that he stole from Harley before he left on his trip. “I was told you’ve been having issues with a certain dream?”

“Yeah,” Harley admitted, eyes watering. “I-I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want any of you guys to worry about me.”

“I know, babe. But if it’s something that’s seriously affecting you then you really should tell us,” Colby told her. “We wanna help you. I want to help you. Tell me all about the dream. Every last detail. Colby talk therapy. You know it works.”

“Yeah,” Harley managed a small smile at his last comments and did as he asked. “I’m always tied up every time it first comes. Then there’s the- the man from- the accident… and he tells me that he’s back but he won’t be the one hurting me this time that it’s gonna be Corey, then Corey comes up and says him hurting me should be fun. Then tells me I have a show to watch like some sick psycho and you’re in front of me- sobbing and screaming for me- and being… you know… what happened to me. And I can’t help you, all I can do is cry for you then it goes black and I wake up.”

“Baby,” Colby frowned from the description of her dream. “I’m sorry, that sounds horrible, no wonder you’re not sleeping much. Are you okay though? Elton said you were acting off.”

“I don’t know… I-I keep having these voices in my head, these thoughts that are blurring reality from my dreams and it’s making me feel things towards people that I shouldn’t be because it’s not real.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Colby sighed. “I don’t know how to help you, I’m way out here. But we get home in two weeks? Does that help?”

“I see my boyfriend in fourteen days?” Harley teared up. “Baby I missed you.”

“I know, two weeks, okay? Hey, you think you can be strong for me for two weeks?”

“Yeah,” Harley sniffled. “I’ll try.”

“Yeah, I’ve already got something for you from the trip as well so,” Colby smiled softly, looking down at the item he had bought her while in Europe. “You’re gonna love it. Hey, I gotta go, okay? I love you. Try and go talk to Elton, he’s concerned about you.”

“I will, I love you too, bye Colbs.”

“Bye Harley.”


	6. chapter 6

-Harley’s POV-

Back to square one. Back to terrifying square one. This nightmare has warped my definition of reality and imagination. Because I’m finding myself paranoid and scared about every little sound and shadow at night and during the day. 

Little clicks the fan makes, the squeaky desk chair at Colby’s desk, the shadow of the articles of clothing in Colby’s closet casting human-like shadows all over the room and mostly near his bed. They all terrify me. 

I haven’t left Colby’s room except for a half step to the bathroom then right back to his room where I lock the door and prevent anyone from entering. Elton’s been up a few times today knocking and asking if I wanted to get out of the house and go get food or something but I deny each time. 

My panic attacks are back as well, I just can’t handle being alone much longer. The scent of Colby’s cologne has worn off of the pillows but it lingers faintly in the air. At least I have that. But the thought of him being here scares me even more. I can’t think much about my brother either, because their faces now are only reminding me of that nightmare. 

And I’m almost half convinced that the dream I have every night is real. No matter how many times I tell myself it’s not. I haven’t texted Colby or Corey or anyone really since I’ve started having this dream. 

Honestly, it would be good for me to get out and outside and out of my head and into reality again but I have to convince myself to leave Colby’s room just enough to go to the bathroom. So going outside isn’t happening anytime soon. 

I remember being so excited when Colby told me he was coming home in fourteen days, but now I’m terrified and dread the day. Because I’m scared. I’m so genuinely terrified of seeing them again that I almost don’t want them to come home. And it doesn’t help that they’re doing just that tomorrow afternoon. 

Elton knocked on the door again for the fifth time today. “Hey, Harley, I just wanted to let you know that Colby called me. He said he’s really worried about you and hopes you’ll contact him soon. We are all concerned about you, Harley. You haven’t left this room in weeks.”

I winced at his voice and pulled the blankets up further around myself. “I-I’m good, Elton.”

“Okay, well, that’s obviously false, because if you haven’t left your room in weeks because of a nightmare then that does not mean you’re ‘good’.”

“Just- go away. Go away,” I told him. “I’m alone because I need to be alone.”

“Colby’s freaking out. In the three minutes I’ve been standing here he’s texted me four times asking if I’ve talked to you yet," I ignored him, hoping he would just walk away, but I was out of luck as he spoke again. "Ignore me all you want. But eventually, Colby's not going to be happy."

"Bull," I fired back. "Colby won't get mad at me and you know it."

"At least send him a fucking text so he stops bugging me," Elton grumbled as he walked away down the hallway. "God."

I ended my night with rereading Colby and I's texts but shut my phone off when a picture he sent me of himself making a funny face popped up on my screen. 

\----

The next morning, I got texts from Colby and Corey saying they were almost home and would be getting home earlier than expected. So, I moved from Colby's room to the guest bedroom and locked myself in there all morning until around eleven when I heard the front door open. Scattered and excited conversations flooded the house and downstairs but the one voice that stood out to me (like it usually does) was Colby asking about me. 

"She's still upstairs, buddy. I tried talking to her last night but it turned into an argument."

"Oh... okay, well, I'll go up there and try to talk to her then," I heard footsteps go up the stairs but they were heavy, tired, and slow. Like Colby was seriously just so exhausted he could barely carry himself up the stairs. He checked his room, seeing it was empty, then knocked on the guest bedroom door. "Baby? Harley, it's Colby. I miss you. A lot. I'm home now I can help you.”

Some time passed and I heard more footsteps that stopped at Colby’s position outside of my door. “Hey, Harley, I don’t know if it helps but it’s Sam too.”

“Go away…” I whimpered, and it sounded more like a confounded squeak than anything else really. 

“Baby,” Colby voice sounded like the most pitiful sound I’ve ever heard. “I miss you… a lot…”

My heart broke, but my head spoke over my heart. Those images… Colby getting… I can’t. I can’t do that to myself again. If I see him I’ll see that nightmare and the day is my somewhat escape from that nightmare and I can’t have it visiting me during the day. Just hearing Colby’s voice is already setting me off. 

“We’re um… we’re gonna go then… come on, buddy,” Sam patted Colby’s shoulder, I could hear it and their receding footsteps. 

-3rd Person POV-

“I hate this… I miss her so much…”

“I know, buddy. Listen, if she’s really having trouble with that dream, she must just need some time,” Sam explained. “She just needs some time.”

“I just wanna hold her. She’s so scared, man. Scared enough to lock herself in a bedroom for weeks. I mean- shit- what if Kat was like that? Wouldn’t you want to go in there and comfort her?”

“Yes, obviously, that’s my girlfriend, but man you gotta know the difference between needing you and needing space,” Sam told him, sitting on Colby’s couch with him. “Just- give her another night. Maybe having that nightmare tonight knowing you’re in the house will change some things.”

“Yeah, yeah, good point. Alright,” Colby nodded, knowing his best friend’s advice was probaby true. “I’m gonna try and nap, brother. That plane trip tuckered me out.”

“Yeah, honestly sleeping is probably a good idea right now. I might do the same,” Sam said and he and Colby made a funny face at each other. “You know, in my room, alone. So it’s not… weird…”

“No, yeah, hashtag Solby confirmed,” Colby teased as he walked his blonde best friend out of his bedroom, earning a laugh from Sam. “See you in a couple of hours, buddy.”

“Yeah, see you in a bit.”


	7. Chapter 7

-Harley’s POV-

“… I can’t go through this again…”

“Oh, it won’t be me this time, pet.”

“Hey, Harles,” Corey smirked and stroked my cheek. “This should be fun. And hey, look, you got a show to watch too!”

Corey moved my face to see Colby, completely naked, tied up to a table, being raped as well. Corey came behind me and grabbed my hair but the only thing I could focus on was Colby’s loud screaming and sobbing in pain. 

“Colby! Colby! You’re okay! We’ll be okay!”

“We’ll be okay…”

~~~~~~

“Colby!” I yelped as I woke up, sweat gathered on my forehead and arms and legs, and I pulled my knees to my chest and sobbed softly. “W-why won’t th-this d-dream leave me al- alone…?”

I sat alone in the dark for a while until I remembered that the group had come home from Europe. Colby was home. Colby was safe. And it was then that FINALLY my heart spoke over my head and I left the guest room, at four in the morning, and down the dark hallway to Colby’s room. 

I entered and closed the door behind me, seeing as Colby was a deep sleeper I didn’t think he would wake up, and he didn’t, until I climbed into his bed next to him. 

“H-Harley, wha-” Then he saw the tears in my eyes and understood. He pulled me in and wrapped his arms around me tightly as I snuggled into him, crying softly in relief. I couldn’t see those images much anymore. They were still there, but unclear. Yet I coul definitely see myself safe from that dream with Colby. With my saving grace. 

“I needed to know you were safe,” I mumbled to him and he nodded, kissing my head and replying tiredly. A certain rasp in his voice that gives me chills. 

“I’m okay, baby,” His lips pressed to my forehead as I fiddled gently with the chain around his neck he must have forgotten to take off. “Just try and sleep, okay? It’s early, love.”

I let my eyes close as I just rested in his embrace, then sighed as sleep enveloped me and pulled me away to dreamland again. But this time… another dream filled my sleep… and it wasn’t a good one… again.

~~~~~~

“Baby, baby, we’ll be okay, Harley, open your eyes, Harley… Harley… hey…” 

The darkness slowly faded, and I opened my internal eyes to a dim and empty bedroom, in which I spotted Colby across from me on the other end of the room. Chained up to a random metal pole and he was shirtless. Many bruises peppered his skin and a deep cut lashed from the base of his ribs to the base of his stomach. It was bleeding progressively and I knew without proper medical attention soon it would bleed too much and…

“C-Colby… where- where are we?” It was then I noticed my own physical state. Naked, covered in scars and bruises much like Colby. A blanket draped over my knees down and I pulled it up weakly. My entire bottom half ached so intensely that I could almost feel it externally from my sleep. 

“I don’t know, okay? I don’t know but we’ll be okay,” Colby encouraged me and attempted to stay positive but cried out in pain at his scar. “W-we’ll be okay…”

I whimpered suddenly when a rough and calloused hand grabbed my face and forced me to look up at him. The same man from before. “Heya, pet.”

~~~~~~  
-smut warning-

“Colby!” I yelped as I jerked awake, sunlight filling my eyes as I realized I was alone in bed, but I looked over to my right and saw Colby rush from his office chair at his desk to sit on the bed next to me. I sat up and hugged him tightly as I cried. Hard. “I-I had another b-bad one…”

“Shh, I know, it’s okay, I’m right here, we’re both safe, we’re okay,” He kissed my temple and rubbed my cheek lightly with the side of his hand. It calmed my crying to silence and I sat back a little, looking into his eyes, and he smiled softly. “Hey, pretty girl. I missed you.”

I leaned in and kissed him intensely and he wrapped his hand behind my head stroking my cheek as it went, and the other went to wrap me up in a hug almost as we made out. I don’t know where this was coming from. It’s like my heart was trying to prove to my mind that I was indeed okay and that all of this ‘nightmare’ nonsense had to stop ruining my reality. 

Colby’s lips pressed to my own over and over again, like he was speaking to me in some strange love language. One made with body not words, with actions not speech. And it spoke to my heart, not my mind, because my mind had no idea what any of it was saying. But my heart read, “I love you, and I missed you’, and that was good enough for me to keep it going, because I needed that emotional connection. Espeically after what my head’s been torturing me with lately. 

“C-Colby…” I spoke without my heart’s consent.

“Shhh,” Colby reminded me. “You’re okay, it’s me, it’s Colby, I love you.”

His hand wrapped around my back receded down my body and pulled my sweatshirt up over my head, then his soft hands explored my body but stopped to rest on my hips where I needed them most. Because that’s a sensitive spot for me, and having his presence there, having his touch in that spot, said more to my heart that his words ever could. I’m getting over fears right here, right now, in the beautiful yellow morning sunlight. Not in the dark like my nightmares. 

Neither of us said a word, not a thing, until both of us were buck naked and I reminded him of protection, which he obviously obliged. But as it continued Colby mumbled sweet nothings into my ear. This wasn’t just sex, no, this was making love. This was getting over fears. This was reconnecting with Colby, and safety, and love. 

“You’re doing so good,” Colby muttered into my ear, nibbling on the lobe a little causing chills to cover every inch of my skin. “Just took being with me for a little bit. Look at you, strong, beautiful girl. You’re my girl.”

As we finished, he pulled the blankets up over us and wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to his chest. And it was then that I mentally finalized things for myself. I traced the line where his scar was in my dream, from his ribs to the base of his stomach, but nothing was there. Colby looked down at me, a little confused. I looked up into his eyes and stroked his cheek. 

“Thank you,” I whispered and kissed his neck softly. “Thank you.”

~~~~~~~  
-Mkay you're good-

I woke a little later, about an hour and a half, and Colby was laying right next to me still. The blankets pulled down a little to uncover the tattoo on his chest. One of his arms wrapped around me, the other holding his phone up to rest on his upper stomach as he scrolled through Twitter, liking fans’ tweets when he felt like it. I placed a soft kiss on his shoulder, grabbing his attention, so he turned his phone off and set it on the bed next to him to look at me. 

“Hey, beautiful. You didn’t wake up scared, huh?” He smiled softly. “God, I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too,” I said and chuckled a little, just looking up into my goofy boyfriend’s eyes made a small laugh erupt from my stomach. “I missed you a lot.”

Colby hesitated before bringing it up, but knowing he had to eventually he continued anyway. “Corey’s asking about you.”

I thought of my brother, and when the only thing to come up was that nightmare, I shook my head subtly. “I can’t yet.”

“What if I’m there with you? Right there next to you,” Colby offered. “It wouldn’t be very scary then.”

I took a deep breath and considered, then nodded. “Yeah… I-I can try.”

“Okay, well, let’s put some clothes on first,” Colby got up out of bed and dressed himself in boxers, sweatpants, and a pair of black socks. I dressed in underclothes, a white crop top, and Colby’s sweatpants, and we left the bedroom. Which was a whole new level of scary for me, because let me remind you it’s been weeks since I’ve walked around this house.

~~~~~

“Hey, Corey?” Colby called out as we made it down the stairs. I could hear the television and Sam’s voice and Jake and Elton’s voices, but what stood out to me was Corey’s. 

“Yeah?” He got up from his spot on the couch, and I heard nearing footsteps and then saw Corey as he came around the corner. “Hey, Harley.”

“Hey…” I mumbed, swallowing hard and grabbing Colby’s hand. 

“You okay? I missed you, a lot,” Corey said, glancing down at my hand tightly holding Colby’s, then he looked back up at me. 

“I-I missed you too,” I replied, eyes watering. “I missed you a lot, too.”

“You don’t look any less beautiful,” Corey complimented, earning a soft smile in return. “I’m not wrong.”

“He’s really not,” Colby said, kissing my temple in reassurance. As if to tell me taking another step would be okay. 

I left Colby’s side and walked right up to Corey and he reached out to take my hand. “Hey, sissy.”

“Corey,” I bit my lip a little as a tear fell down my cheek. He reached up and wiped it, stroking my cheek a little after it, then he pulled me into a hug. A warm, loving, ‘I missed you’ hug. Corey’s eyes watered, because finally he was able to embrace his little sister. And I let out a breath of relief, I felt safe with my brother. 

“I’m not scary,” Corey told me. “I love you. I’m not scary. You’re okay.”

“I love you too,” I replied and hugged him tighter, then pulled away. 

“Look at you,” Colby said, his voice pulling me back to him. I grabbed his hand and linked that arm with his a little. “You’re such a strong girl. Getting over those fears. That’s my girl.”

“That was awesome,” Sam said coming around the corner. “I saw that, Harley. That was really cool.”

“Hey, Sam,” I smiled at him. Then Jake and Elton came around the corner. “Hi guys.”

“Group hug?” Jake offered, holding his arms out. Earning a laugh from everyone, Jake hugged Colby, who was hugging me entirely, as well as Corey and Sam and Elton. “Just felt like it fit the moment.”


	8. Chapter 8

The weeks to follow were easy. Everything took it’s time, but that’s what I needed. I quickly got back into the rythm of things with Colby and Corey and Sam’s help. When Aaron finally got back home from that friend’s house, he immediately appologized to me and offered to take me out for lunch. It earned a good laugh, but I told him an apology was only needed and after I accepted it, we went off and I beat his butt in Fortnite like I used to. 

Devyn got home shortly after Aaron and she also appologized for the way she acted, and I immediately forgave her and hugged her, because I missed her a lot. And having another girl in the house was very rewarding, especially after what had been going on while she was gone. Brennen soon appologized as well for taking stress out on me and we made a video for his YouTube channel after that. It was a trivia game, he asked me plenty of questions about Colby. And I won that game. Obviously. 

Then something horrible happened. Because everyone knows as soon as life begins to look up it plummets back down to ground level. Colby disappeared, and no one has any idea where he went. He went on a drive one night, late when everyone was asleep, and he hasn’t been back in days. 

I held my breath waiting for a notification, a message, something from law enforcement but when nothing came up, I was forced to to let go of that breath. Sam was- broken. Much like I was. I spend most of my time now with him. Corey and Devyn spend the most time with each other and Jake and Aaron spend their time together. Jake splits it most times between Aaron and Tara, but mostly with Aaron. 

Sam hurts, not just because of Colby’s sudden disappearance, but because Kat dumped him. She thought she had mustered up enough fame from Sam and her own fandom from singing that she didn’t need Sam anymore. So she dropped him. Lucky, he has a friend like me here to pick him right back up. 

I was sleeping in Colby’s room one night, after being afraid of nightmares, but beofre I could stop myelf I practically passed out from being so sleep deprived. Little did I know that Sam entered the room and closed the door behind himself. He climbed into the bed next to me and pulled me close to his chest. I woke up, slightly startled, and noticed Sam was shaky. 

“Hey, you okay?” I asked tiredly, when he didn’t reply I rubbed his shoulder. “Hey, Sam, you okay?”

“Scared,” He mumbled in reply. “Really fucking scared.”

“I know,” I hugged him and pulled the blankets off because the room was hot. “It’s okay. You’re safe, Sam.”

“I need Colby,” His voice quavered. “I need to know he’s safe.”

“I know how you feel, trust me,” I fought back my own tears to care for his. “They’re doing all they can to find him. They’ll find him.”

Sam started crying softly. “They have to… he- he’s my best friend… he’s- he’s all I h-have…”

“Shhh,” I rubbed his shoulder and held him as he cried himself to sleep in my arms. My heart broke for him. He’s been so close to Colby for years longer than I have. This has probably broken him. It’s broken me too, but I feel like it’s hurting Sam a little more. It’s time to focus on him now, less on me. I’ve been the focus lately and now it’s his turn. 

The next morning I woke up and Sam had left the room, but as soon as I sat up to put a pair of pants on (I was wearing one of Colby’s big shirts that goes well over my butt, nothing weird), Sam came back into the room with a water bottle and a granola bar. He had tearstained eyes and was dressed in Colby’s hoodie where the sleeves went over his hands slightly but he had them rolled up just past his wrists. And a pair of white sweatpants. 

“Sorry if I woke you up,” He mumbled as he sat on the couch at the end of the bed. He picked up his phone from the cushion next to him and turned it on, his eyes watered and he turned it back off, tossing it back on the cushion next to him. “I forgot my wallpaper is Colby and I at Coachella…”

“Sam,” I frowned a little and got out of the bed, sitting next to him on the couch. He rested his head on my shoulder and sighed as I carded my hand through his soft blonde hair. This boy has and is going through a lot. He got dumped and his best friend went missing all in the same week. 

“Why do the best people get hurt?” He asked. “You got hurt with what happened a while back, then the nightmares, and now Colby…”

“And you, you’re one of those best people, Sam,” I told him. 

“Then why did Kat dump me?” Sam questioned. “Because if I really was the best then why did she leave?”

“Because she didn’t see the light you bring every time you walk into a room,” I blurted out and he sat up, obviously interested in what I had to say, so I continued. “She didn’t see the constant positivity and encouragement radiating off of you all the time. She didn’t see your sense of humor, or if she did she never appreciated it near as much as I do. Sam you treated that girl like a queen and she treated you like her slave. It’s probably for the best that it’s over, because what if it was the opposite and she didn’t want you to break up with her but you wanted to leave?”

“I never thought of it that way,” Sam said, then looked up into my eyes. “No one’s ever said that about me. The light thing. That was beautiful.”

“You’ve got a beautiful personality, Sam. it only made sense. And it was necessary,” I told him with a bit of a shrug. 

“You shrug but you have no idea how much that helped me just now,” Sam scoffed slightly. “That was amazing. Thank you.”

“Yeah,” I gave him a sympathetic smile, then patted his leg. “Hey, you wanna go out for breakfast instead of eating that granola bar?”

“Breakfast out sounds amazing,” Sam stood up and held his hand out for me, then laughed as I stood up and sheepishly pulled my shirt down. “Maybe get some pants on first though.”

“Yeah, just maybe,” I teased as he left the room to get dressed, I did the same, and we were on our way. 

“So where did you want to go?” Sam asked from the passenger seat. “Did you have any idea when you asked me?”

“Not really, what sounds good? IHop?”

“No,” Sam replied quickly. “I- sorry… that’s just- that’s Colby’s favorite place to get breakfast.”

“Okay, no biggie, how about Bob Evan’s? I’m fine with anything really as long as you don’t say McDonald’s.”

“Aww, I really wanted a processed egg and cheese product sandwich!” Sam teased, both of us laughing pretty decently hard. “I’m kidding, Bob Evan’s sounds good.”

I smiled to myself as I drove us to Bob Evan’s. Sam turned the radio on and tapped the top of the window to the music since his hand was out the window already, the breeze blowing Sam’s hair literally all over the place but neither of us really cared. It was funny if anything, it made his hair stand straight up sometimes and if either of us saw it we would bust out laughing. 

But I smiled because even though he’s hurting, even though Colby’s missing, even though we’re both scared and broken about this situation, we’re able to be strong together. We’re strong for each other to help each other get through this. And that’s what a best friend’s for. I wanted to make sure that Sam didn’t fall apart as much as I did with my nightmares, because this situation is a nightmare come to life especially for him, so as long as I keep doing things like this- encouraging him and making him laugh- I bet a hundred bucks we could get through this together. 

I’m not saying it won’t be rough. I’m not saying we’re numb and careless about the fact that I’ve lost my boyfriend and Sam’s lost his best friend, I’m saying that as long as we have each other, maybe it won’t be as hard as having to go through it alone.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> one of the most realistic chapters I've ever written. I think I captured Sam's personality in this one spot on. let me know what you think

“Sam, come on, man,” Corey knocked on the bathroom door. “I gotta take a shower, you’ve been in there for almost an hour now, buddy.”

When he didn’t get a reply, Corey came to me downstairs. “Hey, come get Sam out of the bathroom for me. He’s been in there for ages. I have an anniversary date with Devyn tonight and I need a shower.”

“Alright, I’ll come get him,” I got up from the couch and made my way up to the upstairs bathroom and knocked on the door. “Hey, Sam, it’s Harley. Corey’s got a fancy date with Devyn tonight and he needs a shower. You okay in there?”

“Can’t he just shower at Devyn’s?” Sam asked. “I mean, she’s his girlfriend, he should be able to go over there to her house and shower there.”

I frowned back at Corey and he sighed impatiently. I stepped away from the bathroom door. “Corey I think he’s still bummed about Kat.”

“I know, but I really need a freaking shower. I should be able to shower in my own house,” Corey replied. 

“It’s my house too!” Sam fired back from behind the bathroom door. 

“Corey,” I looked up at him. “Come on, please, just go shower at Devyn’s. If you have to blame it on me then go ahead.”

“Fine,” Corey sighed and left to his bedroom, where he got his shoes on, packed a backpack, and left the house. 

“Sam?” I knocked on the bathroom door again. “Hey, Corey left, it’s just you and me and Elton in the house.”

Silence. 

“Okay, well can you at least go to your bedroom? It’s probably more comfortable than the bathroom anyway and we don’t want to have another situation like we did with Corey.”

“Elton wouldn’t get mad and neither would you,” Sam mumbled from behind the door. “I’m in here for a reason and I want to stay.”

“Okay, well, a night in the city sounds heavenly to me and I might leave soon. So, whenever you don’t feel like being in the bathroom anymore then you can join me.”

I started walking down the hallway and made it halfway down the stairs when I heard the bathroom door open. There was a moment of silence before Sam spoke. “Harley?”

“Yes?”

Sam let out a long sigh. “Wait for me, I need to get ready.”

Smiling softly to myself, I made it down the stairs and explained to Elton what my plans were for the evening and he nodded, liking what I was doing for Sam. 

~~~

“Samuel Golbach,” I facepalmed at the seven bags of marshmallows he had in his arms. 

Okay, so, storytime. I told Sam before we went back home we had to pick up some things for the house. We had a lot to get and a lot of store to cover, so we split the list and split up to make the trip faster. He made it back to me and the basket and put the items in the basket, but ran off again giving me the smallest excuse ever. ‘I have an idea.’

“What?” Sam questioned, raising an eyebrow like walking down the store aisle with seven bags of marshmallows hugged to his chest wasn’t a weird thing. “The house needs marshmallows.”

“Okay- why?” I laughed, still unable to figure out why exactly the house needed marshmallows in general, not only seven bags. “Why do we need so many marshmallows?”

“How dare you,” Sam scoffed with a hand on his chest like he was offended. “Marshmallows are the king of desserts, Harley. I don’t understand how you don’t know that by now.”

“I- you know, I’m not even gonna question,” I said as I checked the last few items off of the list. “Alright, we’re done. You ready? Anymore multitudes of random items?”

“Hey,” Sam frowned in fake sadness. “Be nice to me.”

“I am, I’m not forcing you to put back your seven king size bags of marshmallows.”

“Hey, Harley?” Sam said as we walked towards the check out registers. 

“Yes, Sam?” 

“I need one more thing…” Sam said, biting his lip to fight back a smile. “I’ll be right back.”

“Sam!” I laughed as he goofily jogged down an aisle and came back with a multitude of small circle canisters of toothpicks, dropping a few of them as he ran. He bent over to pick them up but dropped more in the process. 

“Okay don’t just watch, help,” Sam turned back to me, making me laugh as I grabbed another basket and helped him fill it with his multiple toothpick containers, then went to check out and finally left the store. 

“I’m not even gonna ask what all of this is for,” I joked.

“You’ll find out when we get home,” Sam smirked.

“Hey, don’t make that face, I get mixed signals from that face.”

“Eww!” Sam said like a little elementary school girl when she saw a bug, making us both laugh. 

~~~

“Elton! Get over here!” I called for Elton who was sitting on his phone on the couch. “Put the phone down for goodness sakes. We’re spending quality time with each other in here.”

“I got a text from the agent on Colby’s case, hold on,” Elton said, making Sam go silent. 

We poured the marshmallows (literally one bag because he got seven like some kind of weird sugar hound) into a huge bowl and made a pile of toothpicks on the table. We’re having a competition to see who can make the best creation out of marshmallows and toothpicks. 

Sam was on his way to making a rather derpy looking dinosaur, and he is, he’s just- silent… now. “Hey.”

“I know,” Sam sighed softly. “I just- I was so lost in trying to stay positive that I hadn’t had time to think much about C- him.”

“Yeah,” I rested my hand on his sympathetically and he shot a small smile up at me, then I drew my hand back as Elton sat on a chair at the table. “So? What um, what’s going on? Do they have a lead? Do they know anything?”

“Yeah,” Elton said. “They said they might know where he is but it’s too late and dark that it would be difficult to find him in this light. So they’re waiting for as soon as there’s light tomorrow.”

“What?” Sam’s eyes watered. “You mean to tell me they might know where he is right now but they’re waiting until tomorrow to do anything?”

“Hey, Sam listen, if they go barging in with guns and dogs right now, while it’s still dark, it might make things worse. If whoever has him is dangerous, which he obviously is already but besides the point, he could hurt Colby in retaliation. They want to keep everyone safe so they’re waiting for the light to be on their side so they can do their job and bring Colby home,” I explained to him and he nodded, sniffling and wiping away the tears in his eyes, directing his attention to the nearly finished marshmallow and toothpick statue in front of him. 

“You better get working, I’m gonna beat you,” Sam mumbled, continuing to fidget around with the toothpicks and marshmallows to make legs for his dinosaur. 

Elton and I exchanged looks that said the same thing. This is really hurting Sam. but it’s the last hurdle, it’s almost over, we just have to ride it out and stay strong for Colby.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> suicidal themes and mentions
> 
> *I cried writing this chapter*

Sam came sprinting down the stairs the next morning, obviously half asleep because he nearly missed the last three stairs, and ran into the living room where Elton, Corey, and I were sitting on the couch. 

“Did they find Colby?!” He asked frantically, tears teasing his eyes already. 

“Sam, buddy, s-sit down for a minute,” Elton said, patting the chair next to him. Sam refused.

“No, whatever news you have to tell me I’ll take it standing up. I’m not weak.”

“Okay,” Elton sighed before telling Sam the news he previously told Corey and I. “They said they just finished with the investigation. But the site that they thought Colby and his captor were was barren, empty, no one was there. But they did find a rope… Colby’s sweater… and-”

“And what?!” Sam asked, tears starting to trickle down his cheeks.

“Blood stains, everywhere, they um… they sent me a couple of pictures. They found what looks like a message Colby was trying to tell us,” Elton said while looking down at the picture. “But they don’t know what it is or what it means, but it’s a drawing.”

“Let me see it,” Sam sat next to Elton and Elton handed Sam his phone. Sam examined the picture a moment, studying the image drawn hauntingly in the red bodily   
substance. His jaw dropped a little and he covered his mouth. “I-I know what it is…”

“What? What is it?”

“You see the- the little ears there?” Sam pointed to the image and enlarged it. “And the circle above it’s head?”

“Yeah, but what- I don’t understand, no one gets it,” Elton said, also studying the image.

“Colby um…” Sam sniffled. “When we were a little younger, back in Kansas, we went to that warehouse. The one we did all those videos at. And when the sun came up we went up on the roof to watch the sunrise. He told me-”

“Hey,” I got up from the couch next to Corey and sat next to Sam as he started crying softly. I held his hand in mine, stroking the top of it with my thumb as he continued.

“He told me if he ever um…” Sam’s crying got worse and I graduated to rubbing his back. “Colby was suicidal… and he said if he ever wrote a note if he ever was to… you know… he would draw that symbol instead of writing a bunch of sappy words…”

“Oh my god,” I wiped my own eyes and held Sam as he fell apart in my arms. The only sounds in the room being Sam’s seemingly endless sobs. 

“So, we need to um, to let them know what it means…” Elton said, fighting back his own tears as he typed on his phone. “Do you um… Sam, buddy… do you think he’ll actually do it?”

“I don’t know…” Sam choked out. “He um… he only told me that would be his plan if he would.”

“It’s like he knew we would find it,” Corey mumbled, finally finding his voice.

“That’s probably why he did it,” I sniffled. “Because he knew Sam would know what it was.”

“Yeah,” Sam bit his lip, then broke into more sobs. “God no, I can’t lose him too. I can’t lose Colby too.”

“You won’t,” I told him. “We won’t lose him, okay? They’re gonna find him before anything happens. Okay? They’re already close.”

Elton nodded and turned his phone off. “They said they’re getting their elite team now to look for him. Because now that they know what that um… what that symbol means, they’re gonna try to find him before he hurts himself.”

“What’s the elite team?” I asked.

“Upgraded version of the team they had out before,” Elton answered. “They’re gonna use their dogs now and devote all of their time fully on Colby’s case.”

“Good,” Sam sniffled, sitting up a little. “They should have been using that to begin with.”

~~~

Later that day, Elton came home from the police station with a grey bag. He called Sam and I into the living room and we sat on the couches like before. 

“So, they got all of the evidence out of this that they needed, but they wanted you guys to have this,” Elton handed the bag to Sam and he opened it as I watched. Tears brimmed his eyes and fell for what seemed like the millionth time today as he pulled the navy “take chances” sweatshirt out of the bag and pressed it against his face as he hugged it. 

“It smells like him still,” I said, able to smell the cologne from the sweatshirt from a distance along with a metallic, musty smell. Like the mix of rusty metal and wet earth and trees. 

“Here,” Sam handed it to me shockingly. “You um, you’ve been so good to me lately with this… you can have this.”

I immediately put it on and bit my lip hard as tears fell from my own eyes. Sam wrapped his arm around me and rubbed my shoulder. Elton set the bag on the floor and set his hands in his lap. “They’re gonna find him, guys. Okay? We just have to stay strong. We’ve gotta ride it out to the end.”

Sam left with the excuse of needing a shower, so I was in the living room alone with Elton. Once I heard the shower turn on upstairs and the door shut, I broke down in tears, hugging myself since the hoodie around me was freshly worn by Colby. Elton got up from his spot on the couch and sat next to me. I leaned into him as he rubbed my back soothingly. 

“I-I’m trying so hard to be strong…” I sobbed. “I-I’m trying…”

“I know, you’re so strong for Sam, I know I see it,” Elton replied quietly. “But Harley you gotta let yourself vent sometimes. You can’t keep it all pent up it’s painful.”

“I miss him…” I cried, my chest throbbing with heartache. “I miss him so much.”

“I know you do, we do too,” Elton said, his own eyes watering some. “But like we told Sam, right? They have a lead, this is almost over. We’re almost to the point where we have him home, okay? We’re almost there, come here.”

I buried my face into Elton’s black tee shirt as I cried out as much as I could until the tears just stopped coming. “I’m scared… Elton that symbol…”

“It’s a wolf with a halo…” Elton sniffled, crying his own tears now but quietly. “I- that’s so poetic. It’s deep.”

“It’s Colby,” I sighed tearfully, my eyes finally remembering how to water again. “I’m just so scared that they’ll find him…”

“Shh, don’t, don’t say it don’t do that to yourself,” Elton sniffled and wiped his eyes, wrapping his arm back around me. “They’ll find him before anything happens, okay? They’re gonna find him.”

“Yeah,” I nodded, taking a deep breath and finally calming down. “I needed that… I try not to- to show much emotion about it around Sam because I don’t want him to freak out. He’s like- he’s on the edge of shock right now and I don’t want to chance it. It’s always been Sam and Colby, they’re best friends.”

“I know, and you’re doing a really great job. But don't forget that you’re also Colby’s girlfriend, okay? The girl he loves, you can have some emotion about this too,” Elton told me as I sat up. “You okay now? You good?”

“Yeah,” I nodded as I stood up. “I um- I’m gonna go for a drive or something. You’ll um…”

“I’ll tell Sam, it’s okay. I think you both need some time alone to process this anyway. See you when you get back, be safe.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this one was rough as well

“You’re the first visitor here today, who are you here to see?” 

The lady at the front desk was eerily sweet. Like she was almost fake or her lines were scripted.

“Cole Brock,” I said. “Please.”

“Alright, monitored visiting only, okay?” The lady stood from her desk. “I’ll take you to the room.”

I was walked through the door that said staff only. And I wasn’t happy with what I saw. Long empty hallways with multiple doors on each side. Last names only scribbled on a whiteboard nailed to the light mint-colored metal doors. A small gridded window in the upper middle of the doors. It looked like a prison. 

We eventually stopped at a door that said ‘visitors only’ and a door not too far away from it that said ‘patients only’. Patients… Colby- my boyfriend- is a ‘patient’ in a mental asylum. I fought back the tears as I was allowed in the room and I sat in the chair in front of a large window that split the room in half. There was a small gap at the bottom of the window that was meant for being able to hear the person you’re visiting. Then at the base of the window was a mint colored desk that stretched from one end of the room to the other end. 

“Just wait here and we’ll go get him,” The lady left, closing the door behind herself. I pulled my phone out and snapped a picture of the desk and window in front of me with an empty chair on the other side of the window. I sent it to Elton and it said read almost immediately. 

His text reply was, “Wow…”

I texted him back with a text that made my eyes water, “It’s like I’m at a zoo… waiting for them to bring my boyfriend in here so they can watch us talk… they treat these patients like animals, Elton. This is hard to see. It hurts my heart.”

I turned my phone off when the door on the other side of the window opened, and my breath was sucked out of me when I saw Colby. Dressed in nothing but a long blue gown, covered in bruises and scars and marks, and his eyes were slightly sunken in and tearstained. He sat in the chair in front of the window with a heavy wince and the men left but stood on the other side of the window that overlooked the room. It was quiet as we just held each other’s gaze for a while. 

“H-hey…” 

It’s like I could see his heart break when I spoke. 

“Harley…”

God his voice. I know how he must have felt when I spoke now. 

“I um…” Colby started, then furrowed his brows like he was confused. “I… missed- you…”

That. Broke. My. Heart. 

He can barely speak. What the hell were those drugs? 

“I missed you too, baby,” I told him, wiping my eyes. He frowned softly. 

“Don’t cry ab- um… about me…” Colby told me. “I don’t- want… anyone to worry about- me. I-I’m o-kay…”

“Baby look where you are,” I sniffled. “You’re in here because you’re not okay. I’m crying because I love you.”

Colby was silent as he processed what I said. It’s like I’m talking to a toddler who’s just learned a few words and is figuring out how to formulate sentences. This hurts. 

“I want- to… uhm… I-I want to go h-home…” Colby’s eyes watered and it broke my heart even more. Just crushed the broken fragments that were already there. “I-I hate this place… I-I want t-to… be… at ho-home with y-you…”

“I know, baby. I know,” I wiped my tears as they started falling quicker than they were before. “God I wish I could hug you. I-I bet you’re scared.”

“I-I am…” He. Whimpered. “I-I can’t con… control myself… I-I don’t- um… I-I forget what I-I was gonna s… say…”

“It’s okay,” I gave him a sympathetic smile through my tears. “It’s okay baby I do that all the time.”

Colby nodded. “I don’t like this… place.”

“I know,” I said. “We all just want you home. We’re planning a big party for you when you get home, okay? A big old party.”

“No!” Colby suddenly yelled, making me jump and the men on the other side of the window stir. “I d-don’t want a p-party! I w-want to h-hold you…”

I bit my lip and shook my head. “Babe…”

“I kn-know… I c-can’t leave…” He wiped his tears with a shaking bruised hand. “I-I might ne… never leave…”

“Yes you will, baby. You’ll come home and-”

“No I won’t!” Colby stood up, alarming the men enough to come into the room behind him. “I-I’m st-stuck here forever! They- they won’t let me l-leave! No! L-leave me alone! I-I want my girl… I n-need my girlfriend! I-I love you, Harley!”

“I love you too, baby!” I replied as the men escorted him back to his room. Then they came back into my room and walked me back through the hallway to the front where other people sat in the chairs waiting to see their loved ones. I left the place, sniffling and wiping my tears, and drove back to the house. 

~~~

“Whoah, whoah, come here,” Corey stopped me before I ran up the stairs. I fell apart in his arms and sobbed, hard. “Hey, hey, shhh, Sam’s asleep we can’t wake him up, come here.”

Corey took me to the garage (Elton’s office) where Elton sat on his couch on his phone. He saw me and immediately put his phone down. I sat between him and Corey and just cried for a minute before I explained what the visit was like. 

“W-we can’t let Sam go yet…” I choked out. “He um… Sam wouldn’t be able to handle it emotionally yet.”

“Obviously not, if it’s hard for you then it’ll be harder for him,” Elton grabbed my hand. “What happened?”

“Colby um… he’s like- he can barely talk and he has trouble forming words and sentences and um… he forgets what he says a lot. You can’t um, you can’t say too much to him at a time because it’ll take him a while to process it,” I started. “He’s emotional… really, really emotional and he- he yelled at me and got mad when I told him he’ll be coming home. He said they wouldn’t let him leave.”

“He’s scared and he wants to be home, don’t take it all too personally,” Elton told me. “He’s not in his right mind right now.”

“Is- will the damage be permanent? Will he always be like that?” Corey asked.

“No,” Elton said. “With time the drugs’ effect will wear off and he’ll go back to normal. The doctor who checked him and did all of those tests explained to me what happened and the details of everything.”

“I don’t… he said he was scared a-and he wanted to come home and he wanted to h-hold me…” I sniffled. “I told him he’ll come home in time but he got mad and said he couldn’t leave.”

“I’m sorry,” Corey sighed. “I don’t know how we’re gonna tell Sam. He’s emotionally unstable as it is.”

“Me neither but he usually wakes up around this time so we have to start thinking,” Elton started and looked up. “Hey, Sam.”

“Hey…” Sam rubbed his eyes tiredly. “Harley? Wh- why are you crying? What happened?”

I had to leave, I didn’t want to be the one to explain this to him…


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> dirty themes, but it's funny? comical? joke? Idk you judge it.

“Cole Brock, please,” I told the person at the desk (a guy this time). “I was here a couple of days ago. They told me to wait before I came back in.”

“Yeah, come on,” The man stood up and escorted me back to the visiting room. I had my purse with me this time with something in it that I plan on giving Colby. I asked them over the phone while on the way over here if I was allowed to give him things and they said yes, so I brought something along. 

“Harley!” Colby seemed a little happier this time, a little more alert and awake. Some of his bruises faded into a yellowish color, meaning they were going away. “I-I missed you…”

He’s speaking a lot easier as well. Which makes my heart take a deep breath. “Hey, I missed you too, baby.”

“They- they wouldn’t let you in f-for a while, huh?” Colby said with a soft frown, but it faded quick as I smiled lightly at him. “I missed your s-smile. It’s pretty.”

“Thank you, baby,” I blushed and looked down, then back up at him. “So um, I brought you something from home. They said I could give you things with- you know- exceptions. So… I brough you this.”

I handed it to him through the gap under the window. The stuffed koala that Elton bought me while on his trip and while I missed Colby when he was on his trip for his channel. Colby took it and hugged it, breathing in deeply when he pressed it’s fur to his nose. “I love it… th-thanks.”

“Yeah,” I took a minute to admire his features while he looked down at the stuffed animal. His icy blue eyes and pink lips, black painted nails and red highlighted hair. Colby. My Colby. “Hey, I-I heard you um…”

“Could be getting out of h-here soon?” Colby looked up at me, setting the bear in his lap.

“Yeah,” I nodded, tears filling my eyes. 

“I-I can hug you again?” Colby lit up. “When? D-do you know when?”

“A couple of days if you do good with your therapy,” I told him. “That’s what the lady told me. She said you were already doing good but I didn’t really need her to tell me that. I can already tell.”

Colby smiled genuinely at that, I said he was going good and that made him smile. It encouraged him. “I um… I want to- to see S-Sam…”

“Yeah?” I smiled softly. “We could arrange that. I could go home when we’re done hanging out for a bit and tell him to come in.”

“I-I wish I could see b-both of you at the same t-... time,” Colby frowned. 

His stutter was really bad just then. Like every time he gets emotional negatively it gets worse. 

“I know, but hey, soon you’ll be able to. Just keep up the good work with your therapy and you’ll be able to come home and see both of us at the same time at home.”

“Yeah,” Colby nodded, looking down at the koala and back up at me. “S-so… um… how- how are you doing? Honestly.”

“I’m- better…” I said. “Ready to have you home again.”

“Yeah, m-me too,” Colby sighed heavily. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too, baby.”

“No, like I m-miss YOU,” Colby said, biting his lip a little. “You know what I m-mean?”

I laughed and blushed, he did too. “Yeah, yeah, okay Brock. That horny teenage boy inside of you is gonna get you in trouble.”

“Hey,” Colby laughed softly. “I-I’ve been away from you for almost a y-year now. I think I have a valid excuse.”

“Mhm, well, we’ll put that on the agenda for when you get home,” I told him with a chuckle. “I’m ready for you to be home. I need you to be home.”

“I know…” Colby frowned. “I-I want to be home…”

“You’re almost there baby, just keep going, you’re doing good right now just keep it up, okay?” I said and sighed softly. “I should um… I should go…”

“Yeah… the others are usually awake b-by now and will be going crazy… l-literally… so…” Colby sighed as well. “It’s s-scary for me so it’ll scare you p-pretty good I bet…”

“I love you,” I told him and pressed my hand to the glass, he did the same on his end. I could feel the warmth of his hand through the thin transparent material. “I’ll see you soon, okay? Hopefully at home, right?”

“Yeah…” Colby put his forehead on the window and I did the same. “I love you… a lot… y-you’re so strong for m-me.”

“Hearing that from you means more than you know,” I told him, closing my eyes. “I’ll tell Sam you wanna see him and he’ll be in soon today. I love you.”

“I love you more,” Colby replied and I left, the man escorted me down the hallway to the front door where I left the building, hopped in my car, and silently drove back to the house. Encouraged by Colby’s words…

“You’re so strong for me.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry last chapter was hella short, this one's really good.
> 
> you'll be able to tell what it is as soon as you read the first sentence. or not and my technique worked lol

“Harley, hey, we got a surprise for you,” Corey woke me up the next morning, which was… odd. “It’s downstairs, come on.”

“Corey!” I whined, covering my face with Colby’s grey blanket. “I told you to never wake me up on any circumstance. Like- ever.”

“Fine,” Corey said, walking out the door. 

“Corey, wait,” I sat up and rubbed my eyes. “Is it food?”

“I mean… no… but he might think that’s funny,” Corey smirked.

“What? Is Brennen here or something?” I got up and threw my hair up in a messy ponytail. “Corey please tell me.”

“I can’t! You gotta come see, come on slowpoke,” Corey nudged me towards the stairs. 

I got down them and froze, Colby stood in the doorway, tears in his eyes. “Wait… wait… I- he wasn’t supposed to be home for another couple of days… wait… h-how?”

“Just come here,” Colby said and held his arms out. “I don’t give a fuck how I got here I just wanna hold you. Get over here, woman.”

I started crying as I walked up to him and my heart smiled at the warmth and safety of his long awaited embrace. “All those days talking behind a window…”

“I know,” Colby kissed my head and thumbed my shoulder soothingly. “I know, I’m here now.”

“I- babe…” I scoffed, looking into his eyes and he rested his forehead on mine and pulled my body closer to his. “Y-you’re home now…”

“Yeah, finally right,” Colby grinned, then held my chin ever so gently. “God I’ve wanted to do this for so long.”

“What?” He answered my question by leaning in and pressing his lips to mine softly, kissing me a few times making my heart flutter and knees weak. This boy. That effect never gets old. “Oh… that…”

“Yeah, that,” Colby smirked. “You’re so beautiful. I- look at you.”

“It’s not like you haven’t seen me almost every day recently.”

“Right, but I never got to hold you close and look at you in almost a year,” Colby replied. “Your eyes don’t get enough appreciation. They’re gorgeous. Just like the rest of you.”

“Cole, if you don’t stop you’re gonna have a bright red girlfriend,” I blushed. “ Stoppit.”

“Stop complimenting my girl? Never,” He smiled and kissed me again. “God it’s good to be home.”

Sam came in through the front door and hugged Colby from behind, then looked up at the rest of the group. “Come on, guys. Trap House group hug.”

“Oh hell yeah,” Jake said as everyone joined in a big hug around Colby. He smiled so big and suddenly a horrid stench filled the air. “Oh okay, who the hell ripped one? That smells like if a skunk ate another skunk and it farted.”

“Jake!” Everyone whined and released the hug. “That was a beautiful mental picture, thanks for that, buddy.”

~~~

“Babe, I’ve waited a whole ass year, please?” It’s like- eleven o’clock at night, right? Super duper late and I’m half asleep, and Colby’s internal teenage boy self is controlling his body right now. 

Remember what we discussed the last time we were at the mental institute? The thing we had planned for when he got home? Yeah, he’s bringing that up at almost midnight. 

“Colby I’m so tired, Corey woke me up super early this morning and cut off maybe two more hours of my sleep. I gotta make up for it.”

“Baby,” Colby whined, pulling my nearly naked body close to his shirtless one. I’m not fully naked, okay? In a bra and underwear. Obviously. He’s in sweats and just sweats like usual. God I missed being held by him at night, the soft skin of his always warm torso pressed against my usually cold back. He makes me feel safe with the way he holds me so close and tight to his chest like he’s protecting me with all of him. He holds me close to his heart. Physically and figuratively. Wow that was emo, but absolutely a-freaking-dorable. It’s a word, fight me. 

“Please, Colby, I’m not feeling it, not this late,” I turned over to face him and kissed his soft lips. “I love you, just- not this late. Maybe when we wake up in the morning. You usually love that more anyway.”

“Yeah…” Colby said and closed his eyes. “Goodnight then.”

“Babe,” I leaned up to kiss him but he turned his head. “Babe.”

“Mhm?” He asked, eyes still closed.

“Fine, be that way,” I turned around and scooted away from his embrace. Internally screaming at myself because now I’m really freaking cold. This boy INSISTS on keeping his room at a steady 68 degrees. So- really friggin cold. 

“Your loss, you freeze at night without me, so…” Colby turned with his back facing me and mine facing him. “Night, babe.”

“Night, Cole.”

(insert the ‘two minutes later’ screen from SpongeBob because it’s accurate)

“Baby I’m sorry, come here, please,” Colby said as he turned around. “Please. I can’t go another night without holding you.”

Hearing that made my heart break a little and I turned around immediately, cuddling myself back into his warm embrace. He enveloped me into a safe hug and rested his chin on my head with a content sigh. 

“Sorry,” I mumbled. “I-I forgot…”

“You’re okay,” Colby kissed my head then went back to resting his chin on it. “I’m sorry for letting my dick control my head.”

“It’s okay, goodnight Colby,” I said.

(add another SpongeBob time screen but this time add about fifteen or so minutes later when both of us are nearly asleep)

“You know something?”

“What’s that?” Colby answered tiredly, his raspy tired voice making my heart flutter. 

“Trees are technically zombies if you think about it,” I said, making Colby bust out laughing and look down at me. “What? They are! They die every year in winter so they’re dead for like- two months or so then they come back to life in the spring, summer, and fall. Then they’re still standing! They’re zombies!”

“Zomtrees,” Colby added with a small chuckle.

“Exactly,” I smiled against the soft skin of his chest. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too, goofball.”

“I’ll sleep now,” I said.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Colby kissed my head. “Goodnight, beautiful. I love you.”

“I love you more.”

“Okay, Harley, you can’t say you’re going to sleep then start an argument you know you’re going to lose.”

“Who said I’d lose that fight?”

“Because you would,” Colby retorted with a small laugh. “We both know that.”

“I could go on for hours with that argument and you know THAT.”

“Guys! You both love each other! Go to freaking sleep!”

“Sorry, Sam!” Colby yelled back in reply, then looked down at me who was lost in a giggle fit. “You’re gonna get me in some serious trouble one of these days.”

“I just did!” I calmed my outburst of laughter. “Okay, sleep time, goodnight Colby I love you.”

“Damn, just- quick like that, okay. Love you too, Harley. And hey, actually go to sleep this time.”

“Butthead.”

“Mhm, yeah, I’m the butthead here.”

“Shh! I’m tryna sleep!”


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> smut. just- smut. but I'm extremely proud of this chapter. Very proud.

At around seven in the morning, yes, seven in the morning, Colby woke up. He was just- awake. He got out of bed and sat at his desk and picked up a pen, twirling it around in his fingers and sighed softly.

“Babe?” I turned over in the bed and looked at him. 

“Hm?” He answered, putting the pen in his lap.

“Why’re you up so early?”

“Because,” Colby looked down, frowning a little. “It’s um… it’s because I was woken up at this time when I was gone… I guess I’m still used to it…”

“They messed up your sleep schedule…” I got up and rubbed his back. “I’m sorry baby.”

“It’s okay, it um, it might be good anyway. I can get more done waking up earlier.”

“More done? Like what?” I asked him, confused.

Colby reached for his laptop but I rested my hand on his. He looked up at me. “Babe, I have to see when I last uploaded. I’m a YouTuber, I have to keep my channel up and running correctly.”

“Colby, you just got home,” I told him. “Just- just take a few days to get back into the swing of home again. Please. Focus on more important things like the people around you and the relationships you have.”

“Yeah,” Colby sighed and swiveled around in his desk chair and faced me. The room was still pitch black, so he was all but a silouhette in front of me. He stood up and pulled me in by my waist, tightly, and kissed me deeply. “Like this one.

“Colby,” I moaned out as his lips reached my neck, sucking softly on the spot he knows makes me feel the most. I reached up and rested my elbow on his shoulder and ran my hand through his hair, pulling a little making a low breathy moan escape his lips.

“Mmm, I missed you,” Colby nibbled on the skin of my neck and left a deep red mark there, then grabbed my legs just below my ass and whispered into my ear giving me chills. “Jump.”

He lifted me up into his arms and I pulled my hair out of it’s ponytail, letting it fall messily over my shoulders. I kissed him rather rough on his lips a few times before he laid me on my back on the bed. He pulled his sweatpants off and left his black boxers on, a rather large tent in the soft fabric. He yanked my leggings off and my oversized tee shirt and tossed them aside. 

He racked his ringed hands up and down my torso causing me to arch my back slightly. “Colby…”

“Babygirl, you have no idea what the thought of you did to me while I was gone…” Colby spoke lowly into my ear as his hands traveled south and removed my black lace underwear. 

“I have an idea,” I teased him, by saying that and rubbing my knee on his hard boner. 

“Hey,” He shoved my leg back down. “I’m in control here, babe. Do I need to remind you of who owns you?”

Oh fuck, his choice of words. “Yes.”

“Fuck…” Colby yanked his boxers off and tossed them across the room, not caring in the slightest where they landed. He did the same with my underwear, and leaned down to kiss all over my ribs and stomach. His dick came in contact with my heat and I moaned, bucking my hips a little to get some friction but his ring clad hands grabbed my hips and held them down. “Hey!”

“Mmph- sorry… I- it hurts…” I whimpered softly and bit my lip. “You’ve been gone for so long…”

“Mhm, and I’m glad it hurts, you’re feeling what I did every single night at that mental place,” Colby said, reaching his hand down to my heat and stroking it slowly. “Only… I never got to touch myself… I bet you did…”

“Mmmh…” I whimpered again at his touch. “Colby!”

“Hm?” He removed his hand much to my dismay and boxed me in with his arms, staring right into my eyes. “Tell me. What do you need? Who do you need?”

“You,” I bit my lip and looked up into his eyes innocently. “I need you, Colby. Now.”

“Mm, wrong word, princess,” He kissed my neck and sucked on it, hard, knowing it would leave a hella dark mark here in about an hour or so. “Do you remember how to properly ask me for things?”

“Yes… I-I need you… please…” I half moaned. “Please…”

Colby flipped me over and grabbed my hips tightly. “Face down ass up.”

I did as he ordered and awaited his actions, but… he froze. 

“Colby…”

There was another long while of silence until he sat down on the bed and looked down, eyes watering. “I-I can’t…”

“Baby,” I sat next to him and rubbed his back, pulling the blankets up over our waists. “Hey… talk to me babe…”

“I can’t… I-I can’t…” Colby said, tears falling down his cheeks. “I- they sc- scarred me… all I-I could picture just now w-was myself in that d-dark room…”

“Shh… you said enough, it’s okay, you don’t have to explain…” I kissed his shoulder and rested my chin on it as Colby went silent. 

“I’m sorry… this isn’t your fault…”

“Whatever you go through I go through too,” I told him. “I remember what it was like to be in your position, baby. I know.”

“They- they fucking drugged me…” Colby said with anger. “They drugged me so I couldn’t fight them off.”

“I know, they told me…” I admired the tattoos on Colby’s arms and hands and back. They don’t get enough appreciation. “You’re home now, you’re safe.”

“We- we can’t… yet…” Colby mumbled. “I-I can’t picture just- you- yet…”

“Yeah, we can wait until you’re ready, baby. I don’t mind. It’s okay. Whenever you’re ready,” I told him as he turned his head to look at me. I gave him a sympathetic smile and he kissed me gently. “I love you so much.”

“I love you more.”

“Colby,” I whined. “We discussed this last night. You can’t win that fight.”

“Nah I bet I could,” Colby snickered. “But I don’t feel like fighting so you win for now.”

“For now,” I shook my head and chuckled softly. “You’re a goof.”

“I’m a goof? Said the girl who created ‘zomtrees’.”

“Hey! I have backed that up with science, mister.”

“Mhm, sure,” Colby said as he hugged me close and laid us down again. 

“Really! I did!”

“Sure,” He kissed my head. “Whatever you want, babe.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> my heart went so soft after writing this one. 
> 
> Sam & Colby versus the world xxx

-3rd Person POV-

“So… heard some interesting sounds coming from your room this morning, buddy,” Sam told Colby as the two walked around a skate park looking for a good place to take Instagram pictures.

“Yeah…” Colby frowned a little. “It didn’t go anywhere…”

“What do you mean? Harley’s got a hella large hickey on her neck, I’m surprised Corey hasn’t called you in confusion yet.”

“Yeah, um, I just… this is hard to say…”

“Word it however you need to, buddy. I can debunk.”

“I just- I’ve been having issues with that area of my life. Harley and I were- you know- last night because we missed each other but I couldn’t get the images out of my head…”

“Which ones?”

~~~~~~  
\--Pause--  
~~~~~~

If you remember, Sam wasn’t present at the time when the agent told the group of Colby’s rape. Sam has no idea what happened to his brunette best friend because he got too emotional about it.

~~~~~~~~  
\--Unpause--  
~~~~~~~~

“They um… must not have told you,” Colby frowned a little. “I’d hate to ruin the mood. Or bring it up.”

“What happened?” Sam looked over at Colby concerned, he stopped the group and they sat on a nearby bench to talk.

“As you know… I was um, held captive by those men for a long time…” Colby started, trying to explaint it as simply but easily as he could. “And uh, they drugged me so I didn’t have the energy to fight them off. They raped me, man. Multiple times. And um… I had to stop this morning with Harley. I couldn’t think of anything else but myself in her position. I got- flashbacks- I guess you could say.”

“Oh…” Sam looked down at his lap. “I um… I never knew, I’m sorry that happened…”

“It um… it still bothers me… a lot.”

“Yeah, I would be a little weirded out if it didn’t,” Sam said. “I just- damn, man…”

“Yeah…” Colby changed the subject. “So um, how are you doing in the girl department, buddy?”

“Not even looking,” Sam replied bluntly. I just, don’t really have an interest in girls at the moment.”

“Not just girls? Or…?”

“I don’t know…” Sam went red, fiddling with his fingers in his lap. “I don’t- ever since Kat I’ve been… considering other options…”

“Like what, buddy?”

“God… why is this so hard to say? Um…” Sam cleared his throat and looked up. “I’ve um… started to show an interest in guys…”

“Really?” Colby nodded. “That’s cool, man. Proud of you to make that decision.”

“You’re taking this the opposite I thought you would.”

“How did you think I was gonna take it, man? I wouldn’t have been upset with you.”

“I know, I just thought you’d think I was pranking you at first or something,” Sam and Colby both laughed at that. 

“Nah, I can tell when you’re genuine about something and when you’re joking,” Colby smiled. “But I’m glad you found something that makes you happy. But usually it’s a certain person that makes you change like that. You got a crush, buddy?”

“Oh god, stop,” The two laughed when Colby nudged his shoulder and he blushed. “And yeah, I do. But when you say ‘crush’ it’s like we’re back in middle school, man. We’re men now.”

“Mhm, yeah, sure, continue. Even though both of us know that was a load of bull,” Colby joked.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Sam rolled his eyes with a chuckle, then nodded a little. “I’ve been hanging out with um…”

“You can tell me, buddy. I’m not going to judge you. I promise.”

Sam grew a little more comfortable with sharing what was on his heart after Colby’s promise. “I’ve been into Elton a lot lately. And- I don’t know if it’s because he was there for me when you were gone or what but I don’t know… I have just this- feeling? None of this is making sense.”

“No, no, continue buddy. I get what you’re saying.”

“But like- he’s older than me by a couple years and like- I’m taller than him and I don’t even know if he’d consider… this. Consider me,” Colby watched as a frown grew on Sam’s face as he looked down. “I don’t know… it- it’s awkward. And I don’t know how to be with this. It’s all so new and like, with this new interest in guys I like- have begun to notice the other friends in our group like Nate has come back up in my head. He texted me the other day and said he was thinking about me and it sent my head in a frenzy. I don’t understand this. And it’s scary.”

Colby nodded and paused to process the information, then formulated a response. “I can understand your feelings about not knowing how to really- be- with this. It makes sense. And with Elton, buddy, I think he’s hanging out with a girl right now.”

“Really?” Sam looked up at Colby, a hint of sadness in his eyes, then he shook his head and looked back down. “It’s alright, I mean, I knew it was a long shot.”

“But Nate on the other hand…” Colby nudged Sam a little bit. “He’s been on the fence with his sexuality since middle school. You know that.”

“Yeah,” Sam blushed dark. Darker than Colby’s ever seen him blush before. “I remember. But- he’s always been closer to you anyways.”

“Right, but that’s not a bad thing,” Colby said. “I mean, think about the double dates.”

“Never thought about that,” Sam chuckled softly. “That- that wouldn’t make you uncomfortable?”

“No way, not in the slightest. Because you wanna know what I’d see? I’d see my best friend happy and confident in a relationship with someone I trust would take good care of him.”

“Damn, Colby,” Sam’s eyes watered a little. “I- man that’s what I needed to hear.”

“Yeah, you can always count on me, man. Sam and Colby versus the world.”

“Sam and Colby versus the world,” Sam repeated, earning a smile from Colby which he returned. 

“So, text Nate back and tell him you’d like to hang out sometime and talk to him,” Colby told Sam.

“I just got really nervous thinking about that…”

“Aw, don’t be, buddy! It’s Nate, we grew up together! We lived through our awkward phases together!” Colby joked, earning a laugh from Sam. “I mean, we’ve all run around in our boxers together running from cops, remember that? At that abandoned waterpark?”

“Yeah, we didn’t even bother to put our pants on. We didn’t want to get arrested so bad that we just ran to the van in boxers,” Sam blushed at the memory.

“Imagine that news story, man. ‘Two YouTubers arrested at abandoned waterpark in boxers’,” Colby chuckled. “That would have been the news story of the year.”

“For sure,” Sam agreed and the boys went peacefully silent for a moment, then Sam looked up at Colby. “Y-you really think I have a chance with Nate?”

“Definitely, buddy. It’s Nate,” Colby stood up and held his hand out to help Sam up. “Come on, we’re losing sunset light. These pictures are gonnna be awesome.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SUPER short, sorry

-Harley’s POV-

“So how did it go? With Sam?”

Colby and I are out at the beach after our date. He took me to see a scary movie and we went out for Chipotle and ice cream. Overall, tonight has been amazing. 

“It was good, we got a lot of good pictures. That skate park is awesome,” Colby said. “We talked about some things and got them figured out, too. He um, he didn’t know about what happened while I was gone so I had to explain that to him.”

“Oh, sorry baby, bet that was rough,” I looked over at him.

“Yeah, it was, but he knows now and that’s good. He’s alright and I’m… healing,” Colby sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. “In time I’ll be better. Hopefully.”

“You will, babe,” I reassured him and linked my arm into his. “What else did you talk about?”

“I mean, I don’t really know if it’s my place to tell yet. It’s really for whenever Sam’s ready. He told me out of confidence and no offense to you, I just- it’s a matter I think he needs to tell the group on his own.”

“Aw, did he find someone?”

“Kinda?” Colby smiled softly at the memory of that conversation he had earlier with Sam. “The only thing I’m gonna say is he’s happy. He’s really happy.”

“Good enough for me,” I smiled too. “Well, I’m happy for him. Life’s finally looking up for everyone again. You’re getting better, Sam’s happier and better, so am I, and so is everyone else. I’m just- I’m so happy now. I just realized how much everything has settled back down.”

“Yeah, it has, hasn’t it?” Colby nodded, then laughed a little. “Don’t jinx it.”

“Pshh, what else could happen?” I said and we peacefully continued our walk on the beach until eventually it got too late and we made it home. 

Sam immediately came running down the stairs with a big smile on his face right up to Colby. “Colbs I gotta talk to you. Like- now.”

“Okay, what’s up?” Colby said whilst walking back up the stairs with Sam. 

-3rd Person POV-

(sorry- I just love what I’m doing with Sam & Colby in this book right now)

“Dude I called Nate,” Sam said and sat on his bed next to Colby, who smiled at Sam’s giddiness.

“Okay, what’s up? What was said?”

“I told him everything. Like- everything I told you I told him and he said he was feeling the same way,” Sam replied with a big smile. “Dude, he wants to hang out and try things out.”

“Really?! Bro that’s awesome!” Colby nudged Sam. “When are you guys hanging out?”

“Tomorrow morning, pretty much all day really,” Sam explained. “I’m excited and nervous at the same time. Isn’t that anxious? I don’t want to call it anxious because that’s a bad thing. I’m not upset about this in any way.”

“Dude, Sam, breathe. I know you’re excited and I’m excited for you but seriously, don’t hyperventilate over this.”

The two laughed and Sam nodded. “Man, I’m just- I’m so excited. I never felt this way with Kat. Ever.”

“I’m happy for you, man. I’m so happy for you,” Colby told him. “When um, when were you planning on telling everyone?”

“Well, if it goes well with Nate, I was thinking him and I could tell everyone together.”

“Okay,” Colby nodded. “Sounds like a plan, buddy. I’m super pumped for you this is crazy.”

“I know!” Sam replied rather loudly. “Shit, sorry, that was loud.”

“No, no, you’re excited I get it,” Colby laughed. “I’m just happy to see my best friend happy.”

“Thanks, man.”

“Yeah, always.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things are about to get real y'all  
I've got an entire NOTEBOOK of plans for this book  
I got some real big plans   
(Why Don't We fandom joke)  
(limelights will get it)

“Hey, Nate… wait…” 

Sam and Nate came into the front door holding hands. And Nate, standing much taller than Sam, had a bit of a proud smile on his face that matched Colby’s. 

“What’s going on, here?” Elton asked, raising an eyebrow at the couple standing in the doorway. 

“I love this man, that’s what,” Nate looked down at Sam and laughed softly. “Even though I tower over him.”

“I think it’s cute,” Harley said with a grin who linked arms with Colby. “So this is what you meant by found someone when you told me a week ago.”

“Yeah,” Colby leaned down to Harley and kissed her head. “He was just nervous to tell anyone.”

“Cool,” Corey nodded. “Glad to see you’re happy and found someone. In all honesty, man, I knew from the start Kat wasn’t gonna treat you right.”

Sam cringed a little at the sound of her name and Corey and Elton left from beside Colby and Harley. “So, you’re official now?”

“Yeah,” Nate smiled a little down at Sam, who was so short compared to Nate it was almost comical. 

“Prove it,” Harley smirked. “Kiss.”

“Okay,” Sam looked up at Nate and got up on his tippy toes and kissed him square on the lips, causing both of them to blush. 

“Damn,” Colby snickered. “Both of you turned red. That was awesome. I think I got my proof.”

“Yeah, same,” Harley agreed with a laugh. “Okay, all joking aside, Nate I don’t know you very well, so, I have a few things to say.”

“Oh god,” Colby laughed at her a little. “Babe.”

“Hey, shush,” Harley patted Colby’s shoulder and took a step closer to Nate. “Sam is my human. I kept him company when Colby was gone, no offense babe. I’m a very protective person, and everyone in this house knows that. I about started a fight with Devyn because she pranked me about cheating with Colby. So you best keep it in the back of your mind when you’re with Sam that I have no problem throwing fists if you break his heart.”

-Harley’s POV-

“Damn,” Nate looked from Sam to me and nodded. “Noted.”

“Mkay, I’m done,” I left the front room and into the kitchen. “Oh hey, by the way…”

“Mhm?” Nate looked over at me.

“A double date needs to be on the schedule for us four,” I said and Sam’s eyes immediately shot to Colby’s and he shrugged. “He said nothing, by the way. I just think you guys are cute and Colby and I are cute and we need to have a cute date altogether.”

“I agree,” Nate said. “I’ll keep in contact.”

“Hey, Harley, before you go I need you and everyone else to meet in the living room. I have an announcement,” Sam said shyly and Nate smiled softly. 

“Okay…” I sat on the couch next to Jake and everyone else filed in as Sam stood in the front of the living room and TV. 

“Oh god this is intimidating,” Sam blushed. “Um, anyway, so Nate and I have been a thing for about a week now… and… we did some thinking. I want to move in with him in his apartment…”

“Wh- really?” Elton sat up. “I mean- good for you- but like… that was fast.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t know. He’s alone at his place and I just wasn’t comfortable with the thought of him being alone all the time,” Sam said, locking eyes with Nate who smiled appreciatively. “So, I brought him over here so he could help me move. I-I wanna leave tonight.”

“Damn,” Colby frowned a little. “The last time we lived apart was middle school, brother.”

“I know, that’s what I was most nervous about…” Sam sighed softly. “A-are you okay with it, buddy? I don’t wanna do anything you’re not happy with.”

“Nah, no, go ahead, man. He’s your boyfriend, you should be with him if he makes you happy,” Colby smiled sympathetically his way. “It’s just, gonna be weird here without you, man.”

“I’ll keep in contact, obviously, but like- Nate,” Sam said and everyone chuckled a little. “So, yeah, I’ll miss you guys. And I’ll come and visit obviously.”

“Yeah, get over here,” Colby stood up and pulled Sam into a hug. Sam embraced him tightly and closed his eyes tightly, whispering something into Colby’s ear and Colby nodded. “Always, buddy. Sam and Colby versus the world, man. As always.”

“Sam,” I smiled softly and hugged him next. “Proud of you, best friend. I love you. And I’m always here to talk.”

“Thanks, Harley. Love you too and I’ll keep that in mind.”

Everyone helped Sam move his stuff to Nate’s apartment and said their last goodbyes until Sam comes over two days from now. Then Colby and I went back home and immediately everything felt off. We sat in his room on the bed and were quiet. For once. 

“You sure you’ll be alright without Sam here?”

“Yeah,” Colby answered quickly. “I just- I’m protective over him, you know, he’s always been the quieter and shier one so I feel like I have to watch him all the time. But- he’s got a boyfriend now and he’s moved in with him. Plus, it’s Nate, I trust him with my life.”

“Yeah, you’ll be okay, baby,” I leaned in and kissed him softly and he pulled away sooner than he usually does. 

“I- sorry…” He cringed. “I just- I don’t want it to graduate into anything else… I don’t wanna let you down again…”

“Babe,” I laid my head on his chest. “You don’t ever let me down, okay? I know what you’re going through. Believe me, I’ve been there. I love you, and whatever you go through, I go through too.”

“I’m so lucky to have you.”

“Babe, that’s another fight we’re gonna start and it’s never going to end.”


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> smut... again...  
this chapter is totally skippable, you won't miss anything important.

“This is cozy,” I said as Colby and I were welcomed into Sam and Nate’s apartment. “This is really cozy.”

“Yeah, it’s small, but we say it’s a good thing. Means we have to be close all the time.”

“Not like it’s a chore,” Nate grabbed Sam’s hand and we all sat on the couch. Nate got up to turn the lights off and he tossed Sam a blanket, then I cuddled into Colby as Nate started the movie. 

We’re watching a scary movie, which is something all of us can enjoy, but Colby just seems- distracted. I grabbed his hand and stroked it with my thumb, he looked down at me.

“You okay?” I whispered with a concerned expression on my face. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Colby glanced over at Nate holding onto Sam tightly. “Yeah. I’m- I’m good.”

“Kay,” I laid back on his chest and directed my attention to the movie. 

“Nate,” Sam whispered and looked back at him with a bright red blush. “S-stop not here…”

“Why not?” Nate kissed Sam’s neck and he closed his eyes. “I don’t think they’d mind.”

I noticed them but Colby hadn’t yet. I watched as Nate snaked a hand between Sam’s legs under the blanket and Sam closed his eyes immediately and melted into Nate’s arms. I bit my lip a little as heat warmed between my legs, I realized what he was doing. 

“You okay?” Colby looked down at me. “Your face is flushed.”

“I um…” I looked up at him and blushed darker, then kissed him deeply and started palming him under our blanket. Colby let out a low breathy moan and Nate heard it, smirking as he looked our way and pulled the blanket off of Sam and himself. 

Colby kissed me again but pulled away. “Babe- I-I can’t…”

“Hey,” Sam looked over at Colby. “You’re with us, buddy… you’re safe.”

“Yeah,” I turned around and straddled his thighs, placing more kisses on his lips as I pulled my shirt up over my head. Nate and Sam started stripping as well. “You’re okay baby. But if you really wanna stop we can. Are you okay so far?”

“I-I think so, yeah,” Colby grabbed my bare hips and pulled the blanket up around my waist and over his. I pulled his shirt off and traced the tattoo on his chest. “You really like my tattoos, huh?”

“Yeah, they’re really hot,” I leaned down and kissed it softly, then looked up at him as I trailed my lips down his torso and he sucked in a breath when I reached his stomach. I hooked a few fingers under the waistband of his jeans and he hesitated, placing his hand on top of mine. “I can stop.”

“No- I just- slow…” Colby said. I heard a loud moan from Sam on the other couch. Nate had gotten down between his legs and started sucking him off. Sam was a total mess under Nate’s touch and it was really hot. 

“Yeah, I’ll go slow,” I kissed him and pulled his jeans off of his legs, realizing a bruise on his upper thigh I never had before. I lightly stroked my finger against it and looked up into his eyes, he frowned softly so I bent down and kissed the bruise, licked it a little, then leaned back and blew on it gently making Colby sigh softly in relief. “That feel good, baby?”

“Yeah,” Colby smiled softly.

“Nate… Nate…” Sam whimpered softly and stroked Nate’s hair. “I-I’m so close… ah…”

“Mmm…” Nate hummed around Sam’s length sending him over the edge. Colby, hearing Sam’s loud moaning, grew hard and aroused. I smirked and slipped my hand under Colby’s boxers and started stroking him slowly. 

“Oh fuck…” Colby leaned his head back on the couch. “Ahh… babe…”

“See?” I sat up a little and pulled his boxers off of his legs. “It’s me, it’s Harley, you’re okay babe.”

I stripped the last of my clothing and hovered my heat over Colby’s length. He gripped my waist and bit his lip hesitantly. 

“You wanna be on top, baby?” I asked, genuinely concerned and hesitating before I continued. “I can stop and you can be on top if it makes you more comfortable.”

“Ah, shit!” Nate moaned out as he pushed his length into Sam. “Fuckkk it feels like you’re tighter than last time…”

“I-I don’t know…” Colby looked up into my eyes, a little bit of worry in his eyes. He bit his lip and sighed heavily. “I’m sorry… I- I’m sorry… I can’t do this… I can’t…”

Colby redressed and got up and left the apartment. Nate and Sam were so lost in their own little world that they didn’t notice both of us leaving. Colby was walking towards the car, tears falling from his eyes. 

“Hey,” I called after him. “Colby, come back, let’s talk about this, please.”

“I can’t…” He turned back and wiped his eyes. “I can’t do this. I-I’m twenty-two years old, Harley! I-I should be able to fuck my girlfriend in peace! I can’t get those pictures out of my head no matter how hard I try!”

We both went silent for a moment…

“Do you want to maybe go to therapy?”

“No!” Colby scoffed. “That would just be worse! I’m a grown man! I shouldn’t need therapy!”

“Colbs with what you went through, it could help. It’s not like you’re not supposed to be influenced by this,” I walked up to him and grabbed his hand. “You’re not superhuman, baby. You’re allowed to have downtime. It doesn’t mean your weak.”

“I don’t- I don’t need therapy,” Colby wiped his eyes again angrily. “I don’t need therapy to have some psycho convince me I’m not mental.”

“Colby even wolves sit out on hunts sometimes,” I told him. “Babe, you don’t have to be superman every time something happens to you. You’re not bulletproof, you’re human. It’s okay to not be okay sometimes.”

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do,” Colby’s voice quieted and grew unstable. “Those men still have a hold on me, and I’m not even with them anymore.”

“How about we try our own therapy?”

“Like?”

“We do little things every night,” I said, looking up into his eyes and pulling him closer. “We can take little baby steps until you’re ready and better mentally.”

“That sounds good,” Colby wrapped his arms around my waist. “I love you.”

“I love you too, baby.” I kissed him. “I’ll take good care of you.” 

~~~~

“So… how um… how far do you wanna go with this…?” I asked Colby in our bedroom back at the house. “I don’t wanna do something you’re not comfortable with.”

“I mean… like you said… baby steps…” Colby said and turned the lights off and locked the bedroom door, then he sat next to me on the bed. It was pitch black. “Oh fuck I didn’t realize how dark this is… I-I don’t like this…”

“Hey,” I rested my hand on his cheek and directed his gorgeous icy blue eyes to look into mine. “It’s just me and you. Okay? Just me and you. It’s okay.”

“Yeah,” Colby took a deep breath and nodded. “I’m okay.”

“Good, it’s okay, I’ll go slow,” I kissed him softly and he rested his hands on my lower back. The cold metal of his rings gave me chills and he smirked a little at it. 

“Sorry, I can take ‘em off,” 

I grabbed his hand and put it back on my back and went back to making out with him. He smiled against my lips as did I. “Okay, you’re gonna ruin the mood by being goofy.”

“Nah,” Colby said and pulled away a little, then pulled my underwear clean off of my legs and tossed it aside, then he grabbed my ass. “It kinda spurs me on a little. To be honest with you.”

“Don’t push yourself too far, babe,” I reminded him and kissed him deeply. “That’s what happened at Nate’s.”

“I won’t,” Colby pulled his jeans and boxers off, then hesitated. 

“See,” I looked up into his eyes for a reaction, but his face was hard to read. “Babe.” 

“Shhh,” Colby kissed me as he very slowly and teasingly grinded against me and let out a low moan. “Oh, fuck…”

“Mmm…” I bit my lip and sat upright a little more, straddling his legs as I had done before.

“Wait, wait, don’t…” Colby pulled me back down. “I-I can’t do that yet…”

“Okay,” I laid back down and kept grinding on him, hard. “Can- fuck… can you get off like this?”

“Y-yeah… I think so… oh fuck, babe…” Colby’s breathing got more erratic and he came almost immediately. “Shit…”

“You okay?” I asked him, stroking his cheek gently as his eyes closed. 

“Fuck… that- that was so fucking good…”

“Yeah?” I smiled at him and he laughed softly, trying to gather his breath. “Mission accomplished then. Well, the first part.”

“Yeah, baby steps,” Colby nodded, then flipped us over and hovered over me. “You’ve been waiting just as long as I have to have a good climax. Your turn.”

“Colby you don’t have to…” I told him but before I could even think of anything else to say his hand slithered down my torso and he dipped a finger into my heat and I moaned extremely loud and arched my back. Colby smirked. “Still want me to stop?”

“No!” I grinded my hips against his hands for more friction. “C-Colby… please!”

“Mmm missed hearing that,” Colby whispered into my ear as he kissed my neck, then added another finger and started thrusting them hard. 

“Ah- Colbyyy!” I whimpered and moaned as he sucked on my neck intensely and smirked as I clenched around him. “Colby!!”

“Mmm let go babygirl,” Colby encouraged, nibbling on my earlobe a little. “Come on. Let me make you fall apart.”

“Colby!!” I moaned loudly and arched my back again as I released and he smiled, licking his fingers as he removed them. 

“I like this therapy. Let’s do it every night,” Colby grinned. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Colby." 

I pulled him down and he yanked the blankets off of us since both of us were sweating messes, and pulled my nude body to his. Skin against skin. I felt the safest I have in a while.


	19. Harley & Joker - Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> boutta get real, you're not ready for what happens in the next part

“Get your cute ass over here, woman! I need your help!” Colby yelled from his room. It’s the night of Halloween, and you best bet we came up with the most epic couple costumes ever to wear to a party. 

In place of the red, Colby dyed highlights of his hair a neon green color and dressed in a plain deep purple longsleeve button up and a pair of neon green skinny jeans that match his hair. 

Still don’t have it? Let me tell you mine. 

I had Devyn help me with mine, because I wanted to look as accurate to my character as I could. And she’s beast with makeup. So, I’m in pigtails and in a full face of a faded red white and blue look with bright red lipstick. I’m wearing a white crop top with “HQ” drawn on it in spray paint. Then a short black skirt and black fisnhet stockings. And a pair of black combat boots. 

“Dayum!!” Corey said as I left the bathroom in full costume. “Devyn! You’re doing me next!!”

“Holy sh- I don’t- what?!” Colby’s jaw dropped when he saw me. I twirled for him and he bit his lip a little. “You look hot as fuck.”

“Mmm, you do too, Joker boy,” I kissed his cheek, leaving a red lipstick mark on his skin. I laughed a little. “That actually looks like it’s supposed to be there.”

“Babe, I need your help,” Colby looked in the mirror and tried to adjust his red tie. 

“Oh, honey, no, here let’s upgrade this,” I unbuttoned his purple shirt a few buttons down from the top and gave him that relaxed/player look. Then I got a bobby pin and pinned his undone tie to the insides of his shirt. “Damn.”

“I love it,” Colby twirled me around. “Might have to stay with me at this party, babe. You’re hot as fuck and I don’t want anyone else tryna steal you away from me.”

“You must not know the rules then, babe,” I stroked his cheek with my finger and bit my lip. “Harley belongs to Joker. I’m all yours, baby.”

“Oh, I like that. I like that a lot.”

“Knock knock!!” Nate yelled up the stairs. “The entire Trap House is upstairs?!”

“Elton and Aaron are gone!!” Corey yelled. 

“Corey! You’re gonna mess me up! Stop moving!” Devyn scolded him with a giggle. 

“Colby, come here! I want you to see our costumes!” Sam called for Colby and he immediately ran out of the room to greet his short blonde best friend. “Damn, Colby. Playboy Joker, huh?”

“Yeah! Was just gonna be Joker boy but Harley made some adjustments.” 

“Yeah I can tell, man,” Nate joked pointing at the kiss mark on Colby’s cheek.

“You guys should see Harley,” Colby turned to look down the hallway. “Hey, baby! Come out already!”

“Damn, okay,” I left the bedroom and walked up to the group with a little strut and Colby wrapped his arm around my waist tightly. “Hey, guys!”

“Harley’s Harley!” Sam laughed. “That’s awesome. Harley Quinn and Joker.”

“Ah, playboy Joker,” Colby corrected with a smirk. “I was gonna look nice with a tie and a more composed look until Harley came out and changed that.”

“Babe, stop,” I gave him a look, knowing what he was trying to do. “Corey and Devyn! Come on, guys! Party starts soon!”

“Watch out!” Corey said and took Devyn’s hand as they jumped out of the bathroom in full Purge inspired costumes. “You might not make it back home alive tonight!”

“Okay is anyone gonna comment on Nate and Sam?” Devyn said and motioned to the two boys standing hand in hand at the top of the stairs.They dressed as a zombified version of themselves, but their makeup is so freaking realistic it’s scary. “Who did your makeup?!”

“Oh we went and got it done professionally,” Nate said. “No offense, Devyn.”

“None taken!”

~~~~

“Holy- whoah!!” Mike said as we entered the large building that was the hosting place for the party. “You didn’t hear this from me, but you guys might win the best dressed of the night!”

“Thank you!” I said and patted his shoulder. “We came to win.”

“We came to have fun, Harley,” Colby said and snickered.

“Do I have to leave a pretty little mark on your neck and have you tell me we’re not here to win? Because- I mean- I could…”

“Please do,” Colby said and took my hand tightly as we dove right into the crowds of people, each with drinks in their hands. “You want a drink?”

“Mmm not yet,” I said. “You can go get one though.”

“I can go get one? You’re coming with me, babe. Remember, Joker owns Harley. That’s not changing from a drink,” Colby led me to the large, well-stocked bar and grabbed a beer from the bartender and took a long drink from it as we walked back into the crowd. 

“Hey, hottie,” A random guy winked at me. “Lookin’ fine as fuck tonight.”

Colby turned to face the guy but I patted his shoulder and walked up right in front of the guy. “Who are you supposed to be, I don’t see a costume.”

“I don’t need a costume, I’m here to pick up the tipsy girls at the end of the night,” The guy smirked. “Can I get you a drink?”

“Colby,” I turned back to him and he wrapped his arms around me from behind tightly and kissed my head protectively. “You touch me and you’ll get my insane side. As well as my boyfriend’s here. And the six other people here who will throw fists to protect me.”

“Mm you don’t know how many fight I’ve been in, pretty.”

“Is that a threat? You really wanna play with my girl right in front of me?” Colby pushed me behind him and stood in front of the guy. If it came to- and I pray to God it never does- Colby would obviously win this fight. Colby stands at least a head and a half taller than this rando, not to mention Colby’s got a much more muscular build than this scrawny little kid. 

“I’m not threatening her, man,” The guy backed off and started walking away. “Be a little less possessive, will ya? It’s creepy, man.”

“Hey, hey, babe,” I stood in front of Colby with my hands pressed to his chest as he watched the guy like a hawk as he disappeared into the crowd. ”Hey, Colby look at me.”

“He threatened you,” Colby growled. “I don’t take that lightly.”

“I know, hey, I’m okay. He didn’t hurt me and I’m okay, let’s go find Sam and Nate, okay?”

“Yeah,” Colby took once last glance in the direction the guy escaped to but eventually followed me to the couch where Devyn, Corey, Sam, and Nate were sitting together and laughing about something Corey said. 

Colby sat next to Sam and I sat next to Colby. Sam looked over at Colby and frowned a little. “You’re tense.”

“I’m not tense,” Colby mumbled. “How am I tense?”

“I’ve known you since middle school, I can tell when your tense, Colby. What happened?”

“Some rando threatened me and flirted with me right in front of Colby. He didn’t take it very well.”

“I wouldn’t either,” Nate put his arm around Sam’s shoulder. “What did he look like? Was he dressed up?”

“No, he wasn’t dressed up. He’s about Sam’s height, wearing an army green distressed tee shirt and really shitty grey shorts with some off-brand Walmart shoes,” Colby explained. 

“Damn, Colby you could work for SWAT,” Corey joked and Devyn nudged his side.

“I can let Mike know to keep an eye out for him. He’s the host of the party I can tell him to kick him out,” Nate pulled his phone out and started texting Mike.

“In the meantime, babe, you’re really tense,” I said and rubbed Colby’s shoulder. “Should we go get something a little stronger to drink?”

“You’ll do it with me?”

“Yeah, why not?” I smirked and kissed his neck softly. “Gotta have some fun before the night gets too late, right?”


	20. Harley & Joker - Part Two

Colby. Is. DRUNK.

And I’m not even exaggerating. No. This boy has been flirting around with every pretty girl he sees, going up for drinks as soon as he sucks down the last drop of his previous one, and will not stop moving. 

I’m not taking the flirting with other girls personally because I know he’s drunk. But some help with him would be nice. Oh sh- it’s the guy from earlier. 

“Hey! You!” Colby slurred and pointed an unsteady hand to the guy, who turned to face Colby and smirked. “You threatened my Harley! I- I’m gonna beat your ass!”

“Mhm, yeah this’ll be a quick fight,” The guy set his drink down and approached Colby with a laugh. “I’m not gonna take it easy on you big guy. You need to learn a little lesson.”

“Colby, hey, listen to me, don’t do it,” I tried to stop Colby but he pushed me aside and threw a very drunk punch at the guy but horribly missed. While Colby recovered from his very off swing, the guy knocked him on the back of the head hard and sent Colby to the floor, completely unconsious. The guy jumped over Colby and grabbed me by my waist and lifted me up over his shoulder. “Colby!!”

“He can’t hear you, shut up!!” The guy yelled back.

He started sprinting towards the front door of the building and before he left I caught eye of Mike and screamed through my tears. “Mike!!! Help!! Please!!!”

“Hey!! Put her down!!” Mike ran after the guy and Nate followed surprisingly fast. The night was young but the sky was black and it was hard to see much in the parking lot. So the guy who had hold of me tripped over something and since he was running so fast it sent both of us flying forward. He landed not too far from a car but I was launched a far distance down the parking lot. 

I hit the back of my head hard and scratched up the entire left side of my body pretty well. My head started bleeding pretty well almost immediately. “Ah… h-help…”

“Hey, hey, it’s Mike, it’s okay, you’re okay, listen you need to stay still. Nate leave him, he can’t hurt anyone right now he’s out. Call an ambulance,” Mike rested his hand on my shoulder and laid me flat on my back. 

“Hello? Yeah, I need an ambulance to (address of the building) immediately,” Nate went on explaining the situation to the paramedic. 

I started crying in pain and Mike stroked my hand gently. “You’re gonna be okay. It’s okay, Harley. It’s alright. Hey Devyn, I need you to stay with her while I go find Colby.”

“Yeah,” Devyn crouched down next to me after Mike left. “You’re bleeding a lot love.”

“I-it hurts…” I whimpered and sobbed. “I-I wanna go home…”

“It’s okay, you’re okay,” Corey looked around for the ambulance as the sirens were audible in the distance. Mike came running back to the group.

“Hey, guys, I need one of you to stay with Colby. He’s inside right now and disoriented but awake. Don’t let him out here to see Harley he’s gonna lose it.”

Sam went back inside with Colby after the ambulance pulled up and a paramedic team lifted me cautiously onto a stretcher and into the ambulance. “Corey!”

“Right here,” Devyn and Corey got into the ambulance with me and sat on the bench next to the stretcher. 

“I-I can’t stay awake…” I mumbled as my eyes closed slowly. “I-I’m so tired…”

“Hey, no, you’ve lost a lot of blood you need to stay awake,” A paramedic said as he poked a needle into my arm and began distributing something into my veins. 

“You’ll be okay,” Corey said and tucked my hair behind my ear. “You’ll be just fine. We’ll get you to the hospital in time. Just stay awake, sissy.”

~~~~  
-3rd Person POV-

“Where’s Harley?” Colby asked and rubbed his head as Sam and Mike and Nate led him outside. “Whoah… that’s a lot of blood on the ground… wait. Where’s Harley? What happened to Harley?! Where’s my girlfriend?!”

“Colby! Calm down, breathe, man! She’s on the way to the hospital she’ll be fine. But you’ve most likely got a concussion, brother, and we need to get you in as well.”

“Fine, fine,” Colby sat in the backseat of Nate’s car and Sam sat in the passenger seat as Nate drove. “I’m gonna puke.”

“Out the window, buddy,” Nate rolled the backseat window down. Colby poked his head out of the window as the contents of his stomach were shoved out of his body. “Fuck, Colby. What the hell did you drink?”

“I don’t know…” Colby mumbled as he laid down across the backseat. “A lot of everything really. I-I was buzzed I don’t really know.”

“Yeah, buzzed is an understatement,” Sam sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “Colby you could get in trouble with the law. You’ve already got a felony on record from those fake ID’s and you’ve already done jail time. That’s not gonna be an easy court case if this guy goes nuts with charges.”

“I can do jail time again,” Colby muttered tiredly.

“No, you really can’t, man,” Nate scoffed. “Think about Harley.”

“What happened to her?” Colby asked, suddenly awake and a little more sober thinking about his beloved girlfriend. “Hello?”

“The guy you knocked out at the bar ran off with Harley over his shoulder and tripped over something in the parking lot. He just fell but since he was running so fast it sent Harley forward and hitting her head pretty damn hard on a curb. We think she busted her head open, Colby.”

“God,” Sam’s eyes watered up. “I’m kinda glad I didn’t see her before the ambulance came then. That was a lot of blood on the curb.”

“Yeah, she looked pretty beat up,” Nate muttered then looked in the rearview mirror and saw Colby asleep, a lone tear falling from his eye. “We should be quiet now… let him sleep…”

“Yeah…” Sam agreed and looked back at his best friend, wiping the tear from his cheek and turned back to look out the window as the small group made their way to the hospital.

~~~~

“How is she?” Nate asked Corey anxiously after making sure Colby got back into a room safely.

Only, Corey and Devyn were in tears. 

“She um… she hit her head pretty hard…” Devyn lead on, but couldn’t finish and started crying softly. 

“She knocked herself into a coma…” Corey mumbled. “They don’t know when she’ll wake up…”

“Shit!” Nate growled and shook his head, tears of anger brimming his eyes. “I- what are we gonna tell Colby?”

“I don’t know,” Corey sighed and wiped his eyes. “I don’t even know how to process this myself.”

“They let me into the room to remove her makeup,” Devyn sniffled as the group sat on the chairs in the waiting room. “She didn’t look- she didn’t look like Harley…”

“I gotta take a walk,” Sam got up, tears falling from his eyes, and left the group and took a walk around outside. 

A doctor came out and told everyone that Colby was stable and awake, he just had a minor concussion and needed to take it easy the next couple of days. Then Colby came out behind him and rubbed his forehead. 

And the first thing he asked was…

“Where’s my Harley?”

~~~~

“She- she… what?” 

Nate steadied Colby and sat him down in a chair to explain.

“She’s in a coma, buddy,” Nate said. “We don’t know for how long though. Hopefully, they come at us with more information soon.”

Colby nodded and went silent. 

“You okay, buddy?” Corey asked, a little alarmed that Colby hasn’t said anything. 

“No, obviously not. One thing after the other,” Colby shook his head then winced. “I’m so tired, man.”

“I can take you home if you want,” Corey sat up. 

“Y-yeah…”

“What about Harley?” Sam asked.

“She’s in a coma, buddy. What else is there to do?” 

The group went silent as Colby and Corey left the hospital and Corey took Colby back home. They realized he isn’t wrong though, about it being one thing after the other. It seems like as soon as everything settles, it’s gotta come right back with something horrible. 

So, here it is again.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's short, sorry  
writer's block is a b

“Hey,” Colby ran a hand through his hair as he came down the stairs the next morning and sat on the couch. Corey and Devyn were fully dressed and Corey grabbed his keys. “Where- where are you guys going?”

“Hospital,” Corey answered. “Nate said he can’t get Sam to leave. We’re gonna go take his place watching Harley.”

“Oh, okay,” Colby stood up slowly and wobbled on his feet a little, concerning Corey and Devyn.

“You okay, man?” Corey set a hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes. Corey was nothing but a hazy figure in front of him. “Hey, Colby.”

“Huh?” He rubbed his eyes then nodded. “I’m- I’m good, go see Harley. I um, I need to take a shower.”

“Colby are you sure you’re okay? Should we get someone to stay here with you?”

“No, no, I’m- I’m fine. I promise,” Colby patted Corey’s shoulder. “Go ahead, guys. I’ll be fine, I’m twenty-two years old. I got this.”

Corey and Devyn left reluctantly and Colby locked the door behind him, it’s a house rule to always have the door locked. Then just as he was approaching the stairs to head up to take his shower he grabbed the railing of the stairs and paused. 

Everything in his vision went hazy again but he shook his head and rubbed his eyes, taking a step up to go up the stairs but he missed the stairs and tripped, falling onto the stairs and rubbing his head. 

“What the fuck is going on?” He mumbled and stood up on his feet again and managed up the stairs and into the bathroom to shut the door behind him. He turned the shower on and adjusted the water temperature, then got into the shower and began cleaning himself. Washing away all of the night before’s memories. 

His hair smelled like cigarette smoke and through the fuzz of the moment he got a sudden craving for it. He put it in the back of his chaotic mind and finished his shower. By the time he got out wrapped a towel around himself, Sam was sitting on his old bed in his room, scrolling through something on his phone.

“Sam? What- what’re you doing here?”

“Corey told me you were off and Devyn said she was worried. I wanted to come here and hang out with you,” Sam told him, making Colby nod.

“How’s Harley?”

“The bleeding stopped and the stitches are starting to fade already,” Sam told him from across the hallway. “They’re hoping to get a time prediction of when she’ll wake up but they don’t know.”

“Oh..”

“You okay, man? You don’t want to visit her you don’t want to talk much about the situation or what happened at the party or anything. It’s unlike you. What’s going on, man?”

Colby pulled a pair of sweats on and sat on Sam’s bed next to him. “I’m just- I’m exhausted… mentally. I’ve just had so much stress lately and it’s one thing after the other and it’s messing with my head.”

“How? You okay?”

“No, obviously,” Colby scoffed softly. “I can barely see sometimes, literally. I have a massive headache. I have sudden cravings for like- things that I shouldn’t be craving. Everything’s a hazy mess in my head at the moment. I don’t know what to think.”

“What kind of things do you mean?” Sam asked cautiously.

“My hair smelled like cigarette smoke in the shower and in the moment I wanted to breathe it in. I wanted to get more of it,” Colby said. “I wanna go get a vape.”

“Another one?” Sam frowned softly. “Colby you just got yourself off of your last one.”

“I know,” Colby shrugged a little. “Honestly, what’s the point of trying to be good when everything around you is going bad? Look at my life, Sam. Everything bad that could have happened in someone’s life has happened to me. I got kidnapped and raped and so did my girlfriend and now she’s in a coma for god knows how long! I don’t see the point!”

“Colby you have to think of Harley when you think of these things.”

“No!” Colby’s eyes welled up with tears. “Because if I think of her, I think of where she is right now and that hurts, man.”

“Sorry,” Sam got up. “You um, seem to be in good shape then by yourself. I’ll um- I’ll go.”

“Sam,” Colby got up and sighed as Sam went down the stairs and out of the front door. “Fuck! God, Harley I need you.”


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yess!! Longer one!!  
Also, new character 🐶

“Colby?” Corey came out the back sliding door to see Colby sitting on a chair on the back patio, a long puff of smoke escaping his lips.

“Yes?” He looked up at Corey, vape pen in hand. 

“What are you doing? I thought you got rid of that.”

“I did, and bought another one,” Colby said. 

“It took you a year to get over that, buddy,” Corey sat on the chair next to him. “I can’t understand why you’d want to get right back into that.”

“Why not?” Colby sighed. “Everything is going wrong in my life why not go with it, right?”

“Just because everything isn’t the best right now doesn’t mean you have to make it worse, man,” Corey told him. “You doing this is gonna get you back into that habit and it’s gonna be hard to break. You’ve seen the news stories right? Seven deaths related to vaping recently. All younger adults like us.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen ‘em,” Colby placidly replied and took a long draw from his vape and let it out in a train. 

“Colby if anything happens to you it’s going to affect Harley.”

“She wouldn’t know, man,” Colby said, tears teasing his eyes. “I’m not wrong.”

“That hurts, man,” Corey got up. “That really hurts.”

Colby was left alone outside and he finished vaping, then put his vape in his back pocket and looked up at the stars that had blanketed the sky. 

“I want a dog,” He mumbled to himself. “Lonely hurts…”

~~~~

“Can I help you with something?” 

Colby blinked his eyes and shook his head, realizing he had been creepily staring at a young girl looking just like Harley for at least ten minutes. 

“Sorry,” Colby turned and walked away, continuing his trip through the shelter building and found the door labeled “dogs”. He pushed the metal door open and was greeted to many, many kennels of dogs. They weren’t mistreated though, however. Plenty of food and water and clean kennels and beds. Some even had little teddy bears.

Colby walked the length of the first aisle but none of the dogs really stood out to him. He perused through the second aisle but again, none of the pups really left a mark. He had covered every inch of floor in the large dog wing and frowned, he had nothing. 

Until he heard the tiniest, highest pitch little yap he’s ever heard and turned around. It alarmed him because it sounded a lot like a yelp, like the dog was in pain, and when he saw what exactly had made the small noise, his heart melted. 

A small, grey-blue pitbull puppy stared up at him with hazel eyes through the chain link fence gate. He crouched down in front of the puppy and it’s small, pink padded paws propped up on the gate as Colby’s finger poked through the small hole in the chain link and scratched behind the small, pudgy puppy’s ears. 

“You just had to get my attention before I left, huh?” Colby smiled for the first time since the accident at the party. “Whaddya say? You wanna come home with me, buddy?”

The small puppy licked his finger and yipped at him as if to answer an obvious yes. So, Colby asked for assistance and filled out the adoption papers, bought a little blue collar for the puppy, a leash, a bed, food, treats, and got a name tag ingraved with his name. Blu. 

Colby hopped in his car and set up Blu’s bed on the passenger seat next to him and set Blu in the bed. “Comfy? Yeah, had to make sure you had somethin’ nice to sleep on. Alright, let’s get movin’ back home.”

Colby rolled the windows down as they traveled home. Blu poked the tip of his nose out of the window because he was so short and could barely see out of the window. Colby laughed a little and pet his new companion’s back as he drove up into the driveway of the house. 

Opening the passenger side door, Blu sat back and looked up at Colby expectantly and he chuckled, motioning for Blu to get out. His pudgy little body jumped out of the car and Colby grabbed his bed that was sitting on the passenger seat, and Blu followed behind him as he opened the front door. 

Immediately, as the door opened, Blu looked up at Colby again and he picked Blu up in his free arm and closed the door behind him. “Hello? Anyone home?”

“Yeah!” Corey yelled from upstairs. “What’s up?”

“I got a surprise!” Colby said with a grin. “I think you’ll like it!”

“Is it an animal?!” Devyn said as multiple footsteps were heard coming down the footsteps and Devyn squealed when she saw Blu. “Oh my god!! He’s so cute!!”

“Right! I would have left him at the shelter if he hadn’t barked at me to get my attention,” Colby kissed the top of his little head and Devyn walked up to him and pet his head. “You can take him if you want. Hey, Corey!”

“Right here, had to get my phone,” Corey said as he pocketed his phone in his back pocket and looked up at his girlfriend holding Blu. “Babe? Who’s dog is that?”

“Colby’s,” Devyn smiled and nuzzled her nose in Blu’s slick fur. “I love him.”

“Puppies are basic chick magnets,” Colby teased. “But- you know- I’m very much taken.”

“Yes, and so is she,” Corey teased right back and the group shared a laugh. “Alright, hand him off, babe. We gotta get to the hospital.”

“Oh, you’re going back?” Colby asked as Devyn handed him Blu back. 

“Yeah,” Corey sighed softly. “Just- miss her really…”

“Yeah I feel ya…” Colby replied.

“Come with us,” Devyn said. “I’m sure Aaron would watch him. He’s in his room gaming like usual. Buddy’s in there too.”

Colby looked down at Blu, then back up at the group. “I just got him home, it would make me feel bad to leave him here.”

“Nah, he’ll be alright, look at him,” Corey pointed to Blu who was nearly asleep in Colby’s arms. “Come on, man. Come visit your girlfriend. You haven’t seen her since the party.”

“Alright, yeah, I’m coming give me five minutes.”

~~~~

Corey and Devyn have already gone in, but Colby standing right outside the room’s door. He takes a few breaths to prepare himself mentally, then enters the room and sucks in a breath at the sight of his girlfriend. Hair mussed up that Devyn is currently trying to fix for her, her chest gently rising and falling with her peaceful, sleeping breaths, and her flushed face saying she was indeed hot. 

“Here,” Colby said quietly and pulled the blankets down to the end of the bed off of Harley, then stood back from the bed a little. “She was sweating…”

“Yeah, thanks, buddy,” Corey said and smiled at him sympathetically. “I want to go get some food, you guys hungry?”

“Yeah, get my usual, you’re going to Chick Fil A, right?”

“Yeah, I got you,” Corey said and looked to Colby. “You want anything, buddy?”

“I can come with you,” Colby offered. 

“Nah, stay with your girlfriend. Hey, Devyn, why don’t you come with me so Colby can have a minute with Harles alone?”

“Yeah.”

The couple left much to Colby’s dismay and he was left alone, he sat in the chair next to Harley’s bed and sighed softly looking down at her. 

“God- I’m so sorry this happened to you… I-I was drunk, I started that fight and really shouldn’t have… it’s my fault…” Colby mumbled, tears welling up in his eyes. “I miss you a lot. I hate being lonely.”

He went quiet for a while until he thought of Blu. “I got a dog, by the way… I needed someone to make lonely less painful.”

Colby felt something in his pocket. Something thin and light. And frowned a little, softly, like he was trying to hide it from Harley. “I um… I started vaping again… I know it took me a long time to get over my last one but… I just got back into it I guess.”

“I’m not leaving you,” Colby promised. “I’m gonna stay with you and stick it out till the end of this. They’re not sure when you’ll wake up but I know you will. I know it. I don’t care what anyone says or does- or if anyone else leaves you or gives up- I’ll always be right here next to you. If it’s you and me, it’s you and me, we’re a team. I’m not giving up on you, Harley. I never have and I never will.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> trigger warning :: gay hate
> 
> skip if you need to but you've been warned
> 
> not medically accurate. roast me in the comments lol I honestly don't care

A couple of days later, Sam texted Colby with screenshots of DM’s that Kat had sent him and that he hadn’t told Nate about them but they were making him upset and insecure. 

The DM said: 

> As soon as I leave you you’re so messed up in the head that you go gay? You know, if I was still your friend, I would be genuinely concerned for your mental health, Sam. Nate just got out of a relationship with a girl- you know that? I bet he just feels bad for you. He wants to make a little baby feel better. It’s a pity relationship. Has he ever told you he loves you? No? Yeah, then I’m right. He doesn’t mean it and you’re desperate. I’ll be shocked if it lasts longer than a month. <

So, Colby texted him back.

~~~~

C: Bro I’m so sorry. What a bitch. 

S: I know, I’m literally crying because she’s right  
S: Nate hasn’t told me he loves me yet  
S: So is it a pity relationship?   
S: Should I be worried?

C: Sam you’re letting her win  
C: You’re letting her get in your head, buddy  
C: This is what she’s trying to do  
C: she’s trying to break you guys up because she can’t accept the fact that you’ve found happiness without her  
C: so honestly, if anything, she’s the insecure one here because if she needs to try to break you up with your boyfriend to get her own satisfaction then she’s the one with a problem not you

S: Wow, I needed to hear that, thank you  
S: Should I tell Nate?

C: Yes, he’s your boyfriend he should know  
C: You’re getting hate about being with him and he needs to know that so he can help you

S: Yeah, thanks Colby  
S: Love you

C: Love you too, buddy  
C: Let me know how it goes with Nate, okay?

S: I will 

~~~~

Suddenly Colby’s phone started ringing. It was Corey who was at the hospital with Devyn and Harley. He picked up immediately. “Yeah?”

“Harley’s awake!” Corey said and sniffled. “She’s awake, buddy! And she’s asking for you so get your ass over here!”

“Oh my god,” Colby hung up and shot up from his bed, startling Blu. “Sorry, bud, you can go back to sleep I gotta go somewhere. Love you, little dude!”

Colby ran out of the house, just barely shutting the front door, and sped off in his red Toyota Corrola and arrived at the hospital in impeccable timing. Corey had just left Harley’s room to watch for Colby. 

“Where’s my girl?!” Colby asked with a tearful smile on his face. “Is she okay?”

“Go see for yourself, man,” Corey patted his shoulder and opened the door for Colby who walked in and as soon as he saw Harley’s eyes open he cried softly. 

“Hey, baby,” Harley looked over at Colby as he spoke to her softly. She mumbled a bunch of nonsense because since being in a coma, it’s hard to talk or function much after waking up. “It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything. I love you. You’re awake, I know, I missed you.”

Harley pointed to Colby’s pocket which contained his vape pen, and she frowned. Colby’s eyes widened. “Y- you heard me?”

Corey raised an eyebrow. “What are you talking about, heard you?”

“After you guys left that day to get food, I talked to her. Because I heard somewhere that when people are in comas they can hear your voice,” Colby looked down at Harley who’s eyes had begun to water. Colby- in a bit of guilt- sighed softly. “I-I can stop…”

Harley nodded and reached for his hand. Colby took hers. “I promise I will. I love you.”

“Hey, you want me to do your hair? Sam just texted and said he and Nate are on the way,” Devyn asked Harley and she nodded, sitting up. “Mkay, I’m gonna do boxer braids because they’re beautiful in your hair.”

“Sam texted me something today that upset me,” Colby said as he sat on the bed in front of Harley who held his hands in her lap, peacefully fiddling with his rings. “He said Kat’s been DM’ing him some really rude things. She’s trying to get Sam and Nate apart.”

“Because she can’t face the fact that Sam’s happy with someone else,” Corey said.

“Exactly, that’s what I told him,” Colby nodded. “I just hope Nate doesn’t take it to worse and wants to get back at Kat. But I don’t think he will. He’s not like that.”

“Knock knock,” Sam said as he opened the door. “Hey best friend! You sleep well?”

Harley managed a small chuckle and Sam hugged her. “I missed you a lot!” 

“Hey buddy,” Colby hugged Nate then Nate looked at him slightly concerned.

“Hey, can I talk to you for a second?”

“Yeah,” The two boys left the room and stood in the hallway. “What’s up?”

“Did Sam tell you about the DM’s he got from Kat?”

“Yeah, yeah he did. He said he was scared to tell you.”

“Yeah, he was but he did,” Nate sighed softly and ran a hand through his light chocolate brown hair. “It bothers me so much. Especially since he came to me in tears. That’s my boyfriend, you know? I feel like I need to protect him.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean, but trust me buddy. If you try and talk to her right now all she’s gonna do is take screenshots of that and put it on her social media with some twisted caption.”

“If she keeps going I’ll bitch, but if she leaves him alone I’ll leave it alone.”

“Yeah,” Colby nodded.

“Harley’s awake, though. How does that make you feel?” Nate smiled at the taller boy. 

“Insanely happy, like you have no idea.”

“Well then, let’s get back in there with her, shall we?”


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Y'all ready for Christmas yet?  
Yes I skipped right over Thanksgiving  
Because right now Christmas is all I want  
All I want for Christmas is Christmas   
Lol that made no sense. Anyway- I'll shut up now so you can read

-A couple of weeks later-

Coming home was rough for Harley. She wanted to be home, don’t get that wrong, but it was just rough. Getting back into the swing of things was tough since she still couldn’t do much. Even after the coma she was left with a concussion and severe headaches and it was tough to do much of anything. 

Harley couldn’t go upstairs, or barely even move without her head hurting extremely much, so often times Colby stayed downstairs with her and slept on the opposite couch to hers in the living room. He couldn’t sleep with her due to the fagileness of her head and body. She’s still in the process of healing. 

Blu met Harley but didn’t act like much of a puppy around her. He could tell she obviously had some temporary handicaps and Blu was exta careful around her. But the group often found the two napping together on the couch that has now become Harley’s couch because she sleeps on it at night and rarely leaves it during the day. 

This evening, however, Colby walked in the front door and turned the TV on. Harley was asleep on the couch so he refrained from sitting on it until she woke up to the beautiful sound of Christmas music coming from the TV speakers in front of her. 

“Hey, love,” Colby bent down a slight bit to kiss Harley’s temple and she winced. “Have you taken your meds yet today?”

“No,” Harley mumbled sadly. 

“Baby you gotta take those,” Colby said and went to the kitchen medicine cabinet and retrieved Harley’s medicine for her recovery and returned to the couch with a water bottle and the two small pills in hand. “They’re gonna help you recover faster.”

“They make me nauseous,” Harley grumbled as she took the pills and set the water bottle on the floor. “I don’t like taking them.”

“You’re okay, you’re with me and the Trap House family tonight. Everyone’s coming over, even Sam and Nate.”

“What for?” Harley sat up a little on her pillow and pulled her blanket up as well, shivering with a chill. “Does it have to do with the Christmas music playing on the TV?”

“Yeah, actually,” Colby stroked her upper knee lovingly. “We’re gonna decorate the house for Christmas.”

“Really? Like- with a Christmas tree and ornaments and lights and-”

“Yes, baby, yes,” Colby chuckled and kissed her cheek. “Yeah, we’re having everyone come over and decorate together. I’m just setting the mood and about to get up and straighten things up.”

“I can help you,” Harley removed the blankets from her pants-less body and sat up but Colby pulled them back up and shook his head. ‘Babe…”

“Hey,” He stroked her cheek. “You don’t have to help me with anything, babe, okay? I love you, just- relax here and listen to the music.”

“Fine,” Harley laid back down with a pout on her face and pulled the blankets up to her chin. “I’m cold…”

“Really?” Colby stood up and checked the thermostat on the entryway wall. “It’s seventy eight in here, babe.”

“I’m cold,” Harley repeated. 

“Okay, let me go get you another blanket. You want my heated one?”

“Is that the one that plugs into the wall and warms up?”

“Yeah,” Colby said, halfway up the stairs. “You want that one?”

“Yes.”

“Blu!” Colby yelled up the stairs, and the pudgy pitbull came bounding out of the bedroom and right up to Colby who motioned down the stairs. “Go to Harley. Hey, Harley. Go to Harley.”

Blu scampered down the stairs and his nails clacked on the hardwood floor as he trotted through the living room and jumped up onto the couch next to Harley. He snuggled into her and she hugged his warm body close to her cold one as Colby retrieved the heating blanket. He plugged it in behind the couch and draped it over Harley, earning a soft, relieved moan in reply. 

“Is that nice?” Colby laughed softly at Harley, bundled up in three blankets, one of which a heated one. Two pillows, one under her head and one between her legs and against her aching stomach, and Blu somewhere in the mix because all Colby could see from where he stood outside the cozy blob was his head. 

“Yes,” Harley blushed but hid it in the soft grey-blue fur of Blu until Blu got up and jumped off of the couch, then back on over the blankets. “You got too hot? Sorry buddy, I don’t know why I’m so cold.”

“I wish I could cuddle with you, babe,” Colby frowned softly. “I’d warm you up right away.”

“I know, you’re always warm. You’re just a warm human,” It was then Harley thought too much about their sleeping setup and frowned a little as well. “You don’t have to sleep down here with me every night. I bet you miss your bed, baby.”

“I do, but I missed you more while you were asleep for so long, If I get to look up from my spot on that couch over there and see you sleeping here, at home, wearing nothing but my sweatshirt, I can handle sleeping on the couch until you’re allowed to go upstairs.”

“Your sweatshirts are so comfy,” Harley said with a small laugh. “You pick out the best ones.”

“Yeah, and you steal my favorite ones, missy,” Colby replied.

“But- but that’s why they’re my favorite! Because they’re your favorite!”

“Mhm, yeah, whatever. I’m used to it by now. Going to look for a hoodie in my closet to wear for a video and I come downstairs and you’re wearing it. Who’s even been getting them for you? You can’t even go upstairs!”

The couple laughed pretty hard at this comment. “Devyn gets them for me! Sneaks into your room when you’re not looking and snatches it for me then runs it downstairs and I put it on and cover up with the blankets so you don’t see it.”

“Oh, you even got your own little plan for it, huh?” Colby asked with a bit of a blush. It bows his mind how pricelessly adorable Harley is, and even more about how perfect she is for him. The two fit like a puzzle piece. They always have. “Why though? You still haven’t answered me, missy.”

“Because they smell like you, especially your favorite ones because you wear them a lot, and when I wear them it’s almost like you’re hugging me or something. It’s hard to explain but every girl does it.”

“I can hug you, babe,” Colby snickered. “Yet you still want to steal my clothes.”

“Yes,” Harley nodded. “Because they’re your clothes and you’re MY boyfriend and I’m your girlfriend.”

“Ah, okay, I see what this is,” Colby smirked. “You think that if you wear my clothes more often that everyone will see that I’m yours and no one can touch me.”

“Exactly. Well, that’s part of it.”

“Woman!” Colby laughed. “Then help me understand the other part!”

Harley exploded into a fit of laughter at Colby’s comment and before she could explain herself...

“Heyo!” Corey said whilst he, Devyn, Sam, and Nate each came into the house dressed in Santa hats and carried bagfulls of Christmas decorations each. Corey wandered his way into the living room. “Oh my goodness, that is fucking adorable.”

“What?” Harley looked up at her brother and giggled. “My blanket burrito?”

“More like a blanket blob,” Sam teased and sat on the couch next to Harley and he gasped. “Oh my god, I can like- feel the radiation of the heat off of you right now, Harley. How are you not sweating buckets right now?”

“I honestly have no idea, I’m cold I guess and all of these blankets are a necessity,” Harley explained, then looked up at Nate who was tall enough to put a Santa hat on Colby’s head. “Aw, do I get one?”

“Yes!” Corey said, gathering Harley’s attention and a smile as he took another hat out of his bag and put it on Harley’s head. 

“Okay! So, we got the Christmas music, we got the Santa hats, the tree is out in Nate’s truck,I can get the ornaments down from the attic, let’s do this!” Colby said as the group split off in different directions to gather things for decorating like tape and scissors and such. 

And Harley sat alone on the couch. Colby came down the stairs with a large box full of ornaments and set them on the ground near the large space for the tree. “Kinda funny we don’t get snow but we got a pine tree for Christmas.”

“Yeah,” Harley replied halfheartedly with a frown.

“Hey, don’t frown like that, it makes me sad, what’s up?” Colby sat next to her on the couch and she sat up and removed the top two blankets off of her. 

“I just wish I could help. I hate sitting on this couch watching everyone else work,” Harley replied sadly.

“Aww, babe,” Colby kissed her cheek making Harley’s eyes close. It’s the only thing beside hugging that Colby’s allowed to do. And Harley longs for an extended cuddle session. She longs for that physical connection again. But until she fully heals she can’t get that. “It’s okay, we’ll all be in here decorating together in a moment.”

Colby wasn’t wrong, because soon enough, everyone had gathered in the living room and started decorating the tree. Devyn and I went through the box of ornaments and sat on the couch and put hooks on them and handed them off to the boys who put them on the tree. 

“Babe! Remember this?” Harley looked up at Colby and he sat next to her on the couch and smiled at what she held in her hand, wrapping his arm around her gently. 

“From our first Christmas together, yeah, I remember,” Harley laid her head on his shoulder lovingly. “I loved that night. It was late and you didn’t feel very good so it was hard for you to sleep so I picked you up and carried you downstairs to the living room back in my old house in Kansas and set you on the couch and you fell asleep on me to the sight of the lights on the tree.”

“Yeah,” Harley smiled at the memory fondly. “I hated you for moving me for a second because I was finally getting comfortable but you took me down to see the lights and I fell asleep immediately.”

“Woke up the next morning to hella gifts under the tree,” Colby added. “I think that was the best morning ever.”

“Your parents somehow managed to get gifts under the tree without waking us up in the slightest,” Harley giggled. “Some kind of wizards or something.”

“Hey, when all the lovey dovey is done over there, where do we want the mistletoe?” Nate asked, and Colby stood up and hung it right in the center of the entryway to the living room with the tree in the background. “Nice. Those are gonna be some dope Instagram pics.”

“Who said we had to wait for Instagram pics?” Sam asked and walked up to Nate, standing on his tippy toes and planting an intense kiss on his lips. 

“What was that for?” Nate asked with a smirk, pulling Sam’s short body to his taller one. 

“Just so excited to spend Christmas with you this year.”

“Oh yeah, it’s their first Christmas together,” I whispered to Devyn and she cooed. 

“Aww, we need to do something for them.”

“Nah, look at ‘em, they’ll be fine with their own activities,” Colby said and looked over to Nate and Sam muttering things to each other, laughing softly, then sharing little loving kisses. 

“Hey, who’s putting the star up on the tree?” Corey asked, holding out the star. 

All eyes went to Harley and she blushed. “Guys… it should be Nate or something, it’s his and Sam’s first Christmas together.”

“Right, but, babe,” Colby took her hand. “We’re all lucky to have you here.”

“Yeah, it’s your honor this year, love,” Nate told her. “Plus, I’m just enjoying being here with all of you guys, this is a good enough gift for me.”

“Aww,” Sam said and hugged Nate from the side and watched as Harley looked up at Colby. 

“How are we gonna do it then?” She asked him. “I can barely handle sitting up right now.”

“What if I lifted you up there?” Colby asked. “I could be extra gentle and slow. You’re putting the star on the tree this year, however we need to do it.”

“Okay,” Harley smiled softly, then blushed. “But I currently am not wearing pants. So.”

“Well, let’s fix that shall we?” Corey ran into the laundry room and grabbed a pair of shorts and tossed them to me. I put them on under the blankets and pulled the blanket off of me. 

“Okay, I’m ready,” Harley looked up at Colby who smiled and wrapped his arm under Harley’s legs and the other behind the small of her back and lifted her up in his arms. Harley’s heart fluttered. This is the closest she’s been to Colby since she got home from the hospital. Her eyes threatened to water but she blinked it away. Her head ached intensely. “Colby.”

“I know,” He kissed her temple, right where it ached and made it feel a little better. That’s kind of a mental thing, but somehow it helped the pain grow more bearable. “I’ll go slow.”

“Here, sissy,” Corey handed Harley the star and she looked up at the tree. “Get it up there!”

“Up you go,” Colby lifted her up a little since he was already decently tall and she set the star on top of the tree, snuggly covering the tip of it’s pokey green spines. Everyone cheered at the sight. 

“Let’s turn the lights off so we can see the lights!” Corey said and scampered away to the entryway where all of the light switches were and turned the lights off. 

Colby went to set Harley down but she held the collar of his sweatshirt tightly. “Don’t put me down, please.”

“Okay,” Colby said and sat on the couch with Harley cuddled closely in his arms. She took a minute to melt in the moment and snuggled her head into Colby’s chest as her eyes watered. He smiled softly and wrapped his arms around her. “Hey, pretty girl.”

“I like this,” Harley sniffled. “Never let me go.”

“Never plan on it, fuck the therapist and his recommendations,” Colby kissed her head and wiped the tear that fell down her cheek. The lights went out suddenly and it made Harley jump. Colby laughed. “That scare you, babe?”

“Yeah,” She admitted with a blush and snuggled into Colby further. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Harley.”

“Okay! We ready?!” Corey said standing by the Christmas tree with the light switch in his hand. “Three… two… twenty-seven… one!”

The entire living room and entryway lit up with the blue and silver lights and gave the room a wintery glow and cozy feel. The silver garland strung around the entryway walls and on the entertainment center and the edges of the TV added to the Christmas glow the lights gave off. 

All the couples sat on the couches together, one couple per couch, which worked out perfectly. Harley and Colby laid down and snuggled closely and since the vibe was so calm, Harley began slowly dozing off in Colby’s warm embrace. He leaned down and whispered into her ear. “You can go to sleep, babe. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

And so she did.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you're gonna hate me for .05 seconds but then you'll love me. I promise. Smut at the end. Because it's overdue. Then you might hate me again at the very VERY end. 😉

The next morning, Harley woke up and Colby was gone. She rubbed her forehead at a headache and sat up with a mission in mind. She pulled the blankets off of herself and stood up slowly, steadying herself and waiting until the fuzziness faded from her vision to take a few wobbly steps. She managed halfway across the living room when Blu scampered down the stairs and barked at her. He knew she wasn’t supposed to be up on her feet and walking, yet she was and that wasn’t going to sit well with the short, pudgy canine. 

Blu’s bark startled her so she attempted to walk away from him faster and through the fuzz of the moment she tripped on a box that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere and fell onto the hard tile floor. She hit her head hard on the cold tile yet wasn’t knocked unconscious. It was honestly a miracle from heaven. Blu whimpered and ran up right in front of Harley’s face and sniffed her. Harley could barely move so she tapped his foot with her fingers. 

“G-go get C-Colby…” Harley mumbled. “Colby.”

Blu barked repeatedly as he ran up the stairs and into Colby’s room. Blu jumped up on his bed and barked at Colby’s fast asleep self as if to say, “Wake up!”

“What? What?” Colby sat up and crankily snapped at the dog. “What do you want?!”

It was then that Colby noticed the fear and worry in Blu’s hazel eyes and got up, following Blu down the stairs. He didn’t even bother to put a shirt on, he just ran downstairs in his shorts and found Harley on the floor in the entryway. Blood slowly trickled out from the back of her head, alarming Colby intensely. 

“Harley?! Hey, baby are you okay? Hello? Talk to me, please,” Colby ran down by her side and tried to investigate where the blood was coming from, but due to the amount of hair on her head it was hard to pinpoint. “Hey, hello? You with me? Harley talk to me please! Corey!! Devyn, Sam!!”

“What?” Corey said, his voice raspy with the morning. “Is everything okay?!”

Harley’s eyes had closed by the time Corey got downstairs, and Colby was nearly in tears. “I don’t know what happened. I-I came downstairs and she was like this.”

Blu sat in the living room, watching the commotion from a distance. Corey bent down in front of Harley and immediately checked her wrist for a pulse. When he felt a steady beat he let out a breath of relief and looked up. “She’s got a pulse, we need to get her in, now. That’s a lot of blood and she’s still in recovery.”

“What’s going on? Harley?” Sam rubbed his eyes and made it downstairs, Nate behind him. Both of the boys were shirtless and their torsos covered in reddish-purple hickeys. Their activities the night before very evident. “What happened?”

“Hey, Sam, I need you to stay here with Blu and watch the house. Nate can you go turn my car on and open the backseat door and put a pillow back there for her head? Get a towel too so the pillow doesn’t spoil,” Colby jumped into action, protectiveness taking over every inch of his mind like a spreading disease. “I’m gonna go get a shirt on and some shoes, Corey get her in my car and be very gentle, please.”

Everyone did as told, all in a bit of shock, and as soon as Colby came back downstairs from dressing himself in a shirt, he jumped in his car with Corey and Devyn who was in the back with Harley, sitting at her feet with Harley’s legs resting on her lap. 

~~~~

“Her stitches split open,” The doctor told them as he came out of the room with his clipboard. The entire gang had shown up soon after they arrived to hear what the doctor had to say about Harley. “All the blood came from her stitches, and I don’t think she seriously hurt her head either. If anything she just pushed her recovery back by a lot. Why was she alone?”

“I apologize, that’s my fault. I didn’t stay downstairs with her and she must have wanted to come upstairs and be with me. It’s my fault,” Colby admitted. “I can stay with her from now on.”

“Good idea, now, she can go home as soon as she wakes up. Her stitches have been closed and please remind her to take it easy and stay on the couch. She cannot go up any stairs yet.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you.” The group made it into the room and gathered for the second time around Harley’s hospital bed. 

Colby walked to the head of the bed and stroked Harley’s cheek gently making her wake up. Tears filled her eyes as she reached up and grabbed Colby’a hand. “I’m sorry…”

“Hey, don’t be,” Colby told her. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I should have stayed with you downstairs.”

“It’s not your fault either,” Harley said to him. “Because I knew I wasn’t supposed to be up and walking, I knew I wasn’t supposed to even entertain the idea of going upstairs. It’s my fault if we’re blaming someone.”

“That scared me so bad,” Sam said. “I was so worried about you.”

“I’m okay,” Harley told him. “I’m okay, I love you guys.”

“We love you too, Harley.”

~~~~

Going back home, they made sure Harley was settled on the couch. Once she was comfortable, Corey and Devyn said they wanted to go out. It wasn’t much of a problem for Harley and Colby and Nate and Sam though. They were fine hanging out on their own. 

“The last time we hung out on our own we didn’t stay watching a movie for long,” Nate commented with a devious smirk. 

“Yeah, well, we won’t be doing much of that for a while,” Colby said as he held Harley tightly. “Doctor said no physical strain.”

“But technically babe… it doesn’t say anything about if I was still…” Harley said. “I could just have you do all the work…”

Colby blinked, realizing she was indeed correct. “It’d be tough.”

“But babe…” Harley looked up in his eyes and whispered. “I need you now…”

“Fuck, don’t do that,” Colby snickered. “Don’t fucking do that, because you do that.”

Colby pointed down to his obvious hard on. Harley blushed a little and snaked her hand under the blanket and into Colby’s shorts where she palmed him through his boxers. “See? We can still have fun just- n0t in the normal way.”

“Fuck…” Nate got up and turned the lights off. “Just in case.”

“It’s Devyn and Corey, they’re gonna be gone a while,” Colby commented and looked to Harley almost asking for permission. “You sure you wanna do this?”

“Mhm…” Harley bit her lip. “It’s freaking painful, I can’t ignore that. I need you to help me, baby.”

“Yes ma’am. No pain for my girl,” Colby smirked a little and pulled her shirt over her head very gently and removed her shorts slowly as well. He removed his shorts because he already was shirtless. He kissed her neck intensely and snaked his hands behind her head carefully, gently lifting it and placing a pillow upder it and laying it back down. “There we go, gotta be safe.”

“Oh fuck… Nate…” Sam moaned out as he and Nate started making out and grinding on each other. Sam bit his lip a little and looked over at Colby kissing Harley but Nate moved his chin to look at him and Nate kissed him hard.

“Eyes on me, baby,” Nate told him. “Only me.”

“We’re gonna go slow,” Colby whispered into Harley’s ear and groaned lowly as Harley lifted her knee to Colby’s hard on and rubbed it there hard. 

“Who said we had to go slow? We can go fast we just gotta be careful,” She told him and he bit his lip, shaking his head and he kissed Harley again. 

“I fucking love you,” Colby told her. “So much.”

“Colby…” Harley whimpered softly as Colby slid his hand under her underwear and rubbed her heat hard. “C-Colby… mmh… that feels so good…”

“Yeah?” Colby looked into her eyes and kissed her forehead. “Making up for all of the pain you’ve gone through lately.”

“We gotta go back to our place, fuck, Sam let’s go,” Nate said and dressed himself. “We’ve got a faster pace than you guys and it’s hard to keep up. Text later.”

Nate and Sam left the house, which left Colby and Harle alone. Colby got up and turned the tree lights on and smiled softly at Harley’s wide eyes at the beautiful glow. 

“Beautiful girl,” Colby said as he removed his boxers and her underwear and bra, kissing down her chest to her stomach where he left soft hickeys. “MY beautiful girl.”

“Mmm…” Harley ran her hands through his hair and gently pulled on it as he trailed his kisses back up to her neck and jaw line. “Baby…”

“You need me, babygirl?” He asked her with a low rasp in his voice that sent chills all over Harley’s body. 

“It hurts…” Harley lifted her hips a little and whimpered. “Please…”

“Shhh…” Colby said as he pushed his length into her heat slowly. “Ah fuck…”

“Shit- Colby…” Harley gasped as he slowly started thrusting. “Colby… b-baby… mmph…”

“I love you,” Colby whispered into her ear. “I love you so much…”

“I-I love you too… C-Colby faster… please…” Harley said and Coby gripped her bare ass with his ring clad hands and lifted her hips a little so he could have more space to move a little faster and for better access. He started thrusting harder, pounding into her a little harder than before, and as soon as he hit that special bundle of nerves inside Harley she moaned loudly and arched her back. 

“Hey,” Colby panted and pushed her down a little bit. “Y-you’re not allowed to move much remember… ah fuck… you just keep getting tighter… fuck I’m close…”

“Babe… babe- wait- we- we don’t have protection…” 

“Yeah we do,” Colby said as he thrusted harder, sweat lacing his chest and forehead. “Ah fuck… I-I’m gonna pull out… fuck… shit I can’t… I can’t do it… it’s too good…”

“Babe,” Harley looked up into his eyes. “Babe you gotta pull out…”

“I-I’ll try…” Colby said, then as Harley neared her high and clenched around him at her orgasm, he groaned loudly and released just before he managed to pull out. “Shit… I-I didn’t do it in time…”

“Babe…” Harley’s eyes watered. “Babe…”

“Shhh, it’s okay, it’s gonna be okay,” Colby kissed her temple. “You’re okay. We um- we gotta clean up before your brother gets home.”

Harley went silent as Colby got up and cleaned himself up and Harley, switched the blankets and redressed himself and helped Harley in doing so. They lied together on the couch and Harley snuggled into Colby’s chest. 

“Colby I-I’m scared…” Harley mumbled. “I’m really freaking scared…”

“I know,” Colby stroked his hand through her hair very gently. “We’ll be okay. I promise.”

“How do you know?” Harley’s eyes watered.”C-Colby what if… what if I get pregnant? I-I couldn’t handle that.”

Colby couldn’t think of a reply to that. Because in his own mind he was just as scared. He hadn’t planned on having kids for a long while, now here he is with that possibilibty right in front of him. He didn’t know what to think to comfort himself let alone Harley. 

“Hey,” Corey said as he entered the house. “Didn’t expect you guys to be up still.”

“You came home early.”

“Not really,” Devyn said. “It’s been three hours.”

“Oh,” Colby said and turned his phone on, a picture of Harley and Colby dressed as Harley Quinn and Joker before the Halloween party as his wallpaper. “Yeah, well then, you’re later than usual.”

“Yeah,” Corey said and sat on the couch, but immediately frowned when he saw the tears in Harley’s eyes. “Hey, you okay? What happened?”

“U-um…” Harley stuttered. 

“We um, did something we really shouldn’t have,” Colby sighed softly. “And we’re just- scared of the consequences.”

“Did… one of you do something illegal or something?” Corey asked. Devyn, understanding the situation immediately, looked at Harley with a sympathetic frown. 

“No…” Harley sniffled and wiped her eyes, then wrapped her arms back around Colby’s torso and laid her head back on his chest where it was before she sat up. 

“We um… had unprotected sex…” Colby explained. “And… we um… we’re not sure if she’s- you know- yet.”

“Oh…”

“Usually you have to wait a day or two after your period’s date…” Devyn said. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t have them on hand.”

“I’ll go,” Colby got up. “I-I need to take a drive anyway…”

“I love you,” Harley told him as he got up from the couch and pulled a shirt on. He bent down and lifted her chin gently and kissed her lips softly. 

“I love you too, beautiful.”


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poolz - "I'll be there, With You"
> 
> Catch the vibe
> 
> Short little soft chapter for you guys 🖤🖤

Colby drove to a Walgreens after he left the house. He had all of the windows rolled down in his car, the radio playing softly the songs on a Spotify playlist he’s labeled for himself, “Breathe”. Because that’s what he needs to do right now. Breathe. He pulled up into the parking lot and turned the music off much to his dismay and left his car locked as he enterred the small building. 

Making his silent way to the feminine products aisle, he found the pregnancy tests. There was a small group of girls maybe a year or two younger than him in the candy aisle across from the check out, but he barely heard their small whispers to each other. He left the aisle with the box in hand, then as the girls left the candy aisle he entered it and grabbed a small bag of gummy bears, knowing they were Harley’s favorite. He wanted to see a smile on her face and he hoped this would do the trick. Even if for a short while. He just had to see her smile, his heart needed it.

He set the candy and the pink box on the counter and the old man behind it scanned his items and bagged them for him, sliding the bag towards Colby. He took a couple dollars out of his wallet but the elderly man held his hand out, telling Colby to stop. “I got it, son. You get home.”

“I can pay for it,” Colby mumbled in response.

“No, it looks like you just need to get home,” The elderly man smiled softly, knowingly, like he saw through Colby’s eyes what he was feeling. Colby took the bag and looked up at the man with slightly watery eyes and nodded.

“Thank you. Means a lot.”

“Yeah,” The man patted his shoulder. “Stay strong, son.”

Colby saw the man’s name on his nametag, it said “Joseph”, and he made a mental note to come back some other day and thank him extra for his amazing customer service. He just wasn’t in the right state of mind to speak to him now. Colby felt like if he had spoken any other word besides the ones he did before, he’d break down in tears at the check out counter of Walgreens. That wasn’t something he wanted to have to deal with. 

He made his way back out to his car, where he resumed his playlist on Spotify and cruised down the road, in no hurry to arrive anywhere quickly, knowing that Harley was most likely asleep anyway. The warm LA breeze and the sight of the stars and the softness of his music playing in the background calmed his nerves enough and put him in a peaceful state of mind. No pinpointed emotion, just- peacefully quiet. 

Enterring the house again, bag in hand, he noticed that he was indeed right. Harley was passed out asleep on the couch. Corey and Devyn had gone upstairs, and the house was still. He set the bag on the end table of Harley’s couch and he himself grabbed a throw blanket and pillow and nestled himself on the couch across from her. He set his phone on the table in front of him and played music from it, because he knew that if he hadn’t, and he was left with silence, his mind would never let him sleep and he’d overthink himself into fear again. 

~~~~

The next morning, Colby was woken up by his phone going off. One after the other after the other. Text message after text message until he forced himself to wake up. He sat up on the couch and rubbed his eyes, glancing across from him at Harley who had removed all of the blankets from the couch and tossed them across the living room. She was sleeping in Colby’s hoodie she was wearing the day before, and nothing else. She cuddled up into the corner of the couch and pulled a throw pillow to her chest to hug. Her own hand rested on the curve between her waist and hip where Colby’s usually is when they sleep together. She misses him, and that’s how she must have gotten herself to sleep last night. 

Another text snapped Colby back to reality and he picked his phone up and squinted his eyes at the screen until he turned the brightness down a little and read the messages. Six of which he got from Sam. 

\---

S: Bro  
S: Have you checked Instagram lately?  
S: Nate and I are freaking out  
S: But more importantly why didn’t we know?  
S: If you’re not comfortable with telling us then sorry for bugging you  
S: But dude, what is going on?

C: What do you mean?

S: Have you seen Instagram?  
S: Some fan got pictures of you at Walgreens last night  
S: And what you had in your bag is all over the media

C: Shit…  
C: They saw the pregnancy tests didn’t they?

S: Yeah, it’s all over the place  
S: Why didn’t you tell me?  
S: Is Harley pregnant?

C: We don’t know yet, we have to wait  
C: If she doesn’t have her period by today or tomrrow she might be  
C: I got the tests just in case, got ‘em early

S: Smart  
S: But damn, how? What happened?”

C: Unprotected sex, Sam  
C: The usual thing that gets someone pregnant at nineteen

S: I don’t even know how to react

C: Believe me I know  
C: Not only is Harley possibly pregnant, it’s all over the fucking media

S: I know, you can just log off for a while  
S: I mean, it’s the only thing that makes sense righ tnow anyway

C: Yeah, I might do that  
C: She’s waking up, text you later buddy

S: Yeah, see ya

\---

Colby put his phone on silent and set it on the couch next to him and stood up, making his way over to Harley as her eyes opened. He brushed the hair out of her face and smiled softly down at her morning adorableness. 

“Hey, beautiful,” Colby sat on the couch next to her. “How are you feeling? You okay?”

“No,” Harley replied blankly, then looked up at him with sad eyes. “I need a hug.”

“Okay, well, I can fix that,” Colby snuggled behind her and pulled her body close to his chest. She turned over and rested her forehead on his. “You’re okay. I know you’re scared.”

“I really am,” Harley admitted. “Because I not only could be pregnant, Colby, but miscarriage runs in my family…”

“Wh- how? You and Corey are okay.”

“C-Corey’s not… he’s not my biological brother…”

“What?” Colby sat up a little and raised an eyebrow at her. “What do you mean? I’m confused.”

“I um… I was adopted at fourteen…” Harley looked down in a bit of guilt. “We never told anyone and were able to get away with it because I looked so much like Corey and the rest of my family…”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Colby asked, a little hurt. “I would’ve liked to know if my girlfriend was adopted.”

“Colby you don’t understand…” Harley sniffled and looked up at him, tears faling from her eyes. “I though it would make… make you see me differently and not want to- to be with me anymore…”

“Baby… baby no come here,” Colby tightened his grip around her waist, then retracted it a bit remembering she could be pregnant and he didn’t want to hurt anything. “I would never judge you or love you less if you were adopted. Okay? I love you so much because you’re you, not because of your family status or home life.”

“But- but Colby I’m scared… I-I can’t hendle being pregnant let alone having to deal with the miscarriage problem… I had a twin brother and he passed away right before we were born and…” Harley got choked up and paused a moment to calm down before continuing. “That’s why my parents gave me up. Because I was one piece of a broken puzzle. They didn’t want me if I didn’t have my brother…”

“That’s why you and Corey are so close,” Colby said, putting the pieces together in his head.

“Yeah… I needed that big brother person in my life. Then when I was adopted it almost felt like- like my broken pieces fit with his… as emo as that sounds…” 

“No, no you’re fine,” Colby chuckled a little but rested his hand on Harley’s stomach and rubbed his thumb on it lovingly. “Listen. If there is a beautiful child in here, it’s gonna be strong. And it’s gonna be beautiful. And it’s gonna be brave. Just like it’s mother. Okay? I love you and our potential munchkin. Okay?”

“Colby,” Harley whimpered softly and wrapped her arms around his torso. “I love you too.”


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you're gonna love this 💕

“I don’t want to,” Harley mumbled. “I’m not gonna do it.”

“Baby come on, you have to, please?” Colby begged from the other side of the bathroom door. “We have to know. For sure know.”

There was silence as Harley obeyed and completed the pregnancy test. “We have to wait three minutes.”

“Okay, well, come out here,” Colby said and Harley opened the bathroom door and Colby enveloped her into his arms and kissed her head. “You’re okay. We’ll be okay.”

“I couldn’t handle it, Colby…”

“Yeah you could, because you got me and Corey and Sam and Devyn and Nate,” Colby whispered into her ear. “You’ll be just fine.”

“It’s been more than two minutes,” Harley released the hug and picked up the test from the bathroom counter and read it. Then rested her head on Colby’s shoulder from behind. 

“Positive.”

“Colby I can’t do this,” Harley sniffled. “I can’t. I can’t do this.”

“Baby, hey, shh,” Colby hugged her from behind and rested his hands around her small stomach. “It’s gonna be okay. We’re gonna be okay. You wanna get everyone together?”

“Yeah, I-I wanna see Sam,” Harley admitted. “I wanna see everyone.”

“Okay, you go relax on the couch I’ll let everyone know.”

~~~~

“So?” Colby and Harley got the gang together in the living room to discuss the pregnancy situation. 

“What’s the verdict?” Nate asked, obviously very interested.

“Positive,” Colby sighed softly as he stroked Harley’s hand. “And um… we’re- we’re ready for it. We just wanted to let you guys know all together right away.”

“Damn,” Corey replied. “Sissy’s gonna have a baby.”

“Like we need another mini-Colby and mini-Harley running around,” Sam teased which earned chuckles spread around the group. Harley and Colby included. “Just wanted to lighten the mood.”

“Yeah, I appreciate that, buddy.”

“Devy?” Harley looked up. “You still haven’t said anything.”

“It’s just a lot to take in,” She laughed softly. “My best friend’s pregnant.”

“I know,” Harley laughed a little as well as her eyes watered up and she got up slowly and met Devyn in the middle of the living room where they shared a warm and welcoming hug. “This is gonna be so hard.”

“You’ve got me every step of the way,” Devyn replied. “And Colby and Sam and Nate and Corey and everyone else. We’ll do this together.”

“Okay,” Harley took a steadying breath and released the hug and sat next to Colby again where she rested her head on his shoulder. “How- how’s this gonna go?”

“Well, we just- you wanna stay here, right?”

“Yeah, I can’t do this without you guys,” Harley told them. “God I’m so scared, everything’s about to change.”

“I know, for now we just enjoy the calm in the storm,” Nate commented. “We’re a team with this. It’s a team thing, we’re all here for you, Harley.”

“Thanks, Nate,” Harley smiled softly. “Maybe this won’t be too bad.”

“There we go,” Colby said and kissed her cheek. “That’s what I wanna hear.”

“I’m just- I can’t do this without you guys. There’s so many things that can go wrong. I’m gonna need you guys and your support.”

“Not leaving. Never have and never will,” Corey looked her in the eyes from across the living room. “Like Nate said, you’ve got your team, let’s do this.”

~~~~

Later that night, Colby and Sam left to go film a video because they needed to get back on the media. They filmed an explore video, a haunted challenge video, and they each filmed something for their own channels. Seven videos in all. 

Harley was with Nate at the trap house, just hanging out and spending time together, until an idea popped up in Harley’s head. “Hey Nate?”

“Mhm?” He looked up from his phone. “What’s up, lil momma?”

“I wanna prank Sam and Colby,” She laughed. “I wanna prank ‘em good. The mood in this house lately has been way too serious.”

“I agree. Our friend group needs some enlightenment,” Nate sat up. “What did you have in mind?”

“Cheating prank,” Harley said. “I wanna make it look like I’m cheating on Colby and you’re cheating on Sam.”

“Oof,” Nate chuckled softly. “Don’t you think that’s a little too touchy at the moment? With everything that’s gone on with Kat and such?”

“Nah, if we just tell them it’s a prank after and not do anything too crazy.”

“Okay, cool, so what did you want to do?”

“Maybe like, we make it look like we’re making out when they come in the front door or graduated from there? You know what I mean?”

“Oh shit, no, nothing more than a make out session. I’d like to not have Colby’s fists flying at my face thank you,” Nate commented. “We couldn’t have just- made it look like you guys were robbed or something? Like- diving right into the cheating thing is rough.”

“Which is why I wanna do it. I want to start a prank war. I just think that it would be good to have a more positive and happy vibe in the house while the media is shooting negatives at us and plus, I think thinking about something other than the baby will be good for Colby so he doesn’t have to stress much anymore. We’re a goofy couple, we haven’t been able to be goofy lately.”

“Yeah, I agree,” Nate nodded. “Okay, well, we can make it look like we’re making out. When they get home you can hop on my lap and we can pretend like we’re making out, then they’ll go nuts and we’ll announce it as a prank.”

“Yes,” Harley jumped a little on the couch. “I’m so excited. I haven’t pranked anyone in so long.”

\--

Harley and Nate were discussing some prank ideas when they heard a car pull up into the driveway and shut off. So immediately, Harley jumped over onto Nate’s lap facing him and Nate grabbed her hips and they ‘made out’. To make it look real, Harley had her hand on his cheek but put her thumb on his lips so they weren’t really kissing. But it seriously looked like it. Then Sam and Colby walked in and Colby was the first one to say something. 

“What the hell?!” Colby walked over to the two and Harley got off of Nate, both of them pretending to look shocked. “I leave for four hours and you’re making out with Nate?! Babe what the hell?!”

“Nate?” Sam just looked depressed. He looked so seriously sad like he might burst into tears at any second. “Wh- you promised!”

“What the hell, Nate?! You told me you didn’t have any feelings for her!! What the hell is wrong with you?! Did you force her to do this?!”

“No!” Nate stood up. “It was mutual!”

“Guys, guys, hey,” Harley stood up and tried to push them apart but Colby pushed her away and got closer to Nate and clenched his jaw. 

“That’s MY girlfriend and you know that damn well!!” Colby growled. “And you cheated on my best friend!!”

“I thought I was your only…” Sam looked down. “But apparently not. I should have listened to Kat when she tried to warn me about you.”

Sam left the room and walked towards the stairs and Nate ran after him. “Sam! Samuel wait! It’s a prank! It’s a prank she wasn’t really kissing me!”

“What?” Sam turned around and his eyes shot from me to Nate. “Wh- a-a prank?”

“Yeah, yeah, baby come here,” Nate pulled him into a hug. “I’d never leave you. My promise is still solid. And Kat’s wrong. We established that. It’s okay. I love you still.”

“Babe,” Colby turned to Harley with tears in his eyes. “You- you don’t prank people about those kinds of things. Not- not with what’s going on.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Harley hugged him tightly. “I won’t do it again. I just tried to lighten the mood in the house. Everyone’s been so serious lately. That’s- that’s not the Trap House family usual.”

“I’m getting you back,” Colby told her. “I’m getting you back real good.”

“And that’s what I wanted,” Harley leaned back and smiled up into his eyes, wiping the tears from his cheeks. “I wanted to start a prank war so we could distract ourselves from the seriousness and the stress.”

“Don’t do that to me again,” Sam said as he and Nate released their hug. “Don’t. I’m serious. You’re mine, not anyone elses.”

“It was my idea originally, Sam. I’m sorry,” Harley hugged him too. “But hey, we’ve got a prank war started. You can get us back.”

“Oh I will,” Sam fired back. “I’ll tell Devyn and Corey about it too. You’re gonna get pranked good.”


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caution: this chapter was written during a time I had writer's block, so, if it sucks then I apologize. I wanted to post because I haven't yet. Can't leave you guys hanging. =)

“Hello? Yeah, I’m looking for an employee who helped me a while ago. His name’s Joseph, does he still work there?” Colby’s on the phone with Walgreens right now, looking for the employee that paid the cost for his items the night he visited the store. “Doesn’t work there, huh? Oh, um… okay. Thank you.”

Colby put his phone in his pocket and furrowed his eyebrows. Harley was asleep on his lap on the couch. She had trouble getting to sleep even though she was tired so Colby offered to be her pillow so she can get some kind of sleep. It’s been about five weeks since they found out Harley was pregnant and she’s already got a bit of a bump. Colby’s obsessed with it. Even right now he’s got his hand on her stomach. 

“Hey,” Elton said as he came into the house from the garage door. He plopped down a few bags on the kitchen table before enterring the room. “God it’s good to be home.”

“How was it?” Colby asked, both of them whispering to not wake Harley. “Japan right?”

“Again, yes, with Aaron and Andrea and Scotty,” Elton said. “It was great, good, we went back to Suicide Forest again.”

“That’s really cool,” Colby nodded. 

Elton, noticing the way Colby’s hand rested on Harley’s stomach, questioned. “She okay?”

“Yeah um… she’s uh, she’s pregnant,” Colby told him and looked down at Harley fondly. “She’s just sleepin’.”

“Really?” Elton’s eyes widened. “I was gone a little over a month and I come back and she’s pregnant, huh?”

“Yeah,” Colby smiled softly and thumbed her stomach. “She’s worried though… apparently miscarriage runs in her family. She should be okay though and so should the baby.”

“Yeah, you’ve got some strong genes, you’ll be okay,” Elton nodded. “But- man, you’ll be a dad in about nine months.”

“I know,” Colby smiled softly. “I’m just taking a second to breathe before it all gets crazy.”

Harley’s eyes opened and she sat up. “Elton?”

“Hey, Harley,” He grinned. “Momma.”

“I hate being pregnant,” Harley rubbed her stomach with a soft, pained groan. “My stomach hurts so much.”

“I’m sorry,” Colby kissed her temple. “Can I help you in any way?”

“You can help me to the bathroom before I puke?” The small group, including Harley, chuckled at her comment. 

Colby aided Harley to the bathroom as the contents of her stomach were refused, then she cleaned herself up and exited the bathroom and hugged Colby. “I don’t like this…”

“I’m sorry,” Colby rubbed her back, knowing it helps her stomach. “You wanna go back and lay down?”

“No,” Harley pouted. “I wanna feel better.”

“I don’t know what to do,” Colby frowned, his own heart beginning to ache at the sudden helplessness he felt. “You wanna go take a warm shower or something?”

“Yeah,” Harley said and walked towards the stairs and started up them slowly. Colby grabbed her hand to help her but she pushed his hand away. “I”m okay. I can get in the shower on my own.”

“Okay,” Colby watched her go up the stairs and heard the bathroom door close and shower turn on. He let out a long sigh and sat back on the couch next to Elton. 

“Don’t take it personally. She’s gonna be a momma, she’s got a lot of hormones and emotions going right now and she’s still figuring out how to handle it,” Elton patted his shoulder. “She doesn’t hate you, buddy, even though sometimes it might feel like it.”

“I know, I just wish I knew how to help her. Sometimes I feel like such a sucky boyfriend. And if I can’t take care of her while she’s just pregnant what am I gonna be like when the baby’s here?”

“Colby you’re gonna be an amazing father to that kid, you wanna know why? Because you’re so careful with Harley already and wanting to help her anytime you possibly can. When this baby gets here he or she is going to love you, buddy.”

“Thanks, Elton,” Colby smiled at him. “So, Suicide Forest with Andrea and Aaron? How’d that go?”

Meanwhile, upstairs in the shower, Harley sat on the tub floor and rested her hand on her stomach whilst letting the hot water run down her bare back. She rested her forehead on the shower wall in front of her and sighed softly, closing her eyes. The warmth of the water enveloped her body and relieved her stomach pain. 

“I love you little baby, but you’re makin’ momma sick,” Harley spoke softly to the baby in her stomach. “I just want to- you know- let you know that.”

Harley finished up in the shower and got out, blow dried her hair, and dressed herself, then went downstairs where Elton sat on the couch on his phone. “Where’s Colby?”

“He went out to get something, why? You okay?”

“I need my boyfriend,” Harley’s eyes watered and she plopped down on the couch. “I feel so bad for pushing him away. And- I-I don’t know I just- I feel needy. I just need to be around him right now.”

“He’ll be back in a little bit,” Elton turned his phone off. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“No,” Harley got up and stretched. “Thank you though.”

“Yeah, hey, come here,” Elton stood up and hugged Harley. “Been gone for over a month and haven’t gotten a hug yet.”

“Sorry,” Harley chuckled lightly. “Love you, Elton.”

“Love you too, Harley, go get some rest.”

“So glad I can finally sleep upstairs again,” Harley left up the stairs. “Y-you’ll tell Colby I’m upstairs right?”

“Yeah, I got you.”

~~~~~

“Hey, Harley’s upstairs, buddy,” Elton told Colby as he entered the living room. “You should go up there. She came downstairs after her shower crying for you, man.”

“Aw, okay,” Colby set the bag down on the side table in the living room and hopped up the stairs and walked down the hallway to his room and closed the door behind him quietly. He stripped himself of his shirt and swapped skinny jeans for sweatpants and carefully climbed into the bed next to his sleepy girlfriend. 

“Colby?”

“Shh, yeah, it’s okay, go back to sleep,” Colby wrapped his arms around her torso and rested his hand on her stomach as always since they found out she was pregnant. He whispered into her ear as her eyes closed and body stilled once again, her breathing going back into it’s calm pattern. “I got you, you’re okay, Harley.”

“Colby…” Harley rested her arms on Colby’s around her and laid her head back on his shoulder. He nuzzled his nose in her neck and kissed her soft, tan skin gently. 

“I’ve got you, Harley,” Colby told her. “You’re safe, baby. I’m here now.”

And that’s what she needed to hear. 

“I love you,” She muttered tiredly.

“I love you more, baby,” Colby kissed her neck once more and the two drifted off to sleep together.

~~~~

“Colby!” Harley yelped and sat up quickly on the bed, tears already in her eyes and threatening to fall. She rubbed her forehead and bit her lip as a soft sob escaped her. 

“Babe? Hey, you okay?” Colby rubbed her back. “Hey.”

“Nightmare,” Harley sniffled. “A really bad one.”

“What was it, come here,” Colby wrapped up his shaking girlfriend in his arms and she rested her head on the pillow in front of his and looked into his eyes. 

“W-we lost the baby…” Harley sniffled. “We lost the baby and you left me because of it and I couldn’t handle it.”

“I’m never leaving you,” Colby told her. “No matter what happens. We’re not gonna lose the baby, you wanna know why? Because both of us are strong, that kid’s gotta be strong too.”

“I’m just scared,” Harley sighed softly and looked back up into Colby’s eyes. He stroked her cheek and ever so gently pressed his lips to hers. 

“Don’t be scared about anything baby,” Colby mumbled against her lips. “You’re okay. I’ve got you. Come here.”

Colby pulled her waist in closer to his and held her to his chest as he continued to kiss her. “I-I’m scared… w-what if… what if…”

“Shh…” Colby kissed her repeatedly a few times to silence her. “Don’t worry… don’t be scared… you’ve got me baby…”

“Mhm…” Harley pulled back and smiled softly, resting her forehead on Colby’s. “Thank you… I love you…”

“I love you too,” He smiled at her and scooted down on the bed to kiss her stomach. “You and the munchkin.”


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ~sorry, Blu’s out of the book, but don’t worry, another puppers comes soon~

-Harley’s POV-

“Hey, Lil Momma!!” A voice I immediately recognized yelled from the front door. There’s only one person who calls me that. 

“Nate!!” I got up from the couch where I was sitting with Elton and Colby and almost tackled Nate in a hug. “Hi!!”

“Hey!” He laughed and pulled back. “You ready to get moving?”

“Yes! Hold on, lemme go tell Colby I’m leaving.”

“Hey, whoah, right here,” Colby said as he seemed to have popped up out of nowhere behind me and hugged me. “Bye, babe. Be careful as always and don’t be out too long.”

“You knwo, I know you’re trying to be a good boyfriend and tell me to be safe, which I appreciate, but I do miss the times you’d tell me to have fun and be back later.”

“I gotta look out for you and the baby,” Colby kissed me as we released the hug, but then slapped my ass as I turned to walk with Nate. “Have fun babe, I love you.”

“Love you too, and ouch,” I rubbed my butt over the place he hit. “There’s gonna be a mark there, Cole!”

“Good!” 

“Y’all are nasty,” Nate said as we got into his grey Tesla. “Like- nasty.”

“Like you and Sam are any better,” I smirked at him. “And you know I’m not wrong.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Nate blushed. “Where do you wanna go first?”

“I already ordered one of his gifts online, but I don’t know, wherever you were planning on going for Sam’s I can look around.”

Nate and I are out buying Christmas gifts for Colby and Sam, while Sam and Colby are out buying gifts for us. Because it’s Christmas y’all. (It’s more like December thirteenth) but it’s Christmas y’all!

“Alright, cool, Goodwill it is,” Nate snickered. “I’m joking, I’m joking. We’ll go to the mall, I wanna hit Hot Topic.”

“Cool.”

-Colby’s POV-

I already know one of Harley’s gifts. I talked to a friend of mine who’s dog just had puppies and he has one chocolate brown puppy and has reserved it for me. I told him I’ll pick it up closer to Christmas. I’m pretty stoked because chocolate labs are Harley’s all time favorite, and I’m getting her one for Christmas. 

I want the baby to grow up with a dog in the house because both Harley and I are animal lovers and plus I think it’ll help he or she (God please be a boy) be more of an outgoing kid right off the bat. I’m hoping so strongly for a boy. I think having a little man I can teach things to and help him grow up to be just like his dad would be awesome. Dress him up in some XPLR merch. That would be so freaking cool. 

Anyway, aside from that, Sam’s already told me he’s not sure what he’s getting for Nate whereas I have three gifts for Harley already. The puppy, a promise ring, and an official Harley Quinn sweater. God I miss her already what’s she doin’? 

\----

C: miss you already baby, where you at?

H: at the mall, y’all best not be here because Nate has NO bags to hide gifts right now

C: lol oh god, no, we’re not at the mall  
C: fuck I’m the needy one now, I love youuu

H: I love you too, Colbs ❤

\-----

I put my phone down as Sam pulled into the mall’s parking lot and sighed. “I don’t even know. I guess we can browse around or something.”

“Buddy, Harley and Nate are here right now,” I told him. “So like, we can try and not find them but I mean, it’d be hard not to, it’s Monday, no one’s at the mall right now.”

“Yeah, yeah, true. Where should we go then? I’m at a loss for ideas.”

“Brother, don’t stress, we got this,” I told him, trying to lighten the mood. I got a little laugh out of him which definitely made me feel better. “Let’s just go drive around and discuss some figt ideas.”

“Okay, cool, yeah,” Sam drove out of the parking lot. “You think I could go get him some rings or something? From like- a jewelry place or something?”

“Yeah, yeah I think he’d like that, buddy,” I agreed. “Let’s do it. I can get a necklace for Harley there too. Then we gotta hit Toys R Us too because I gotta pick something else up for Harley.”

“Phew,” Sam sighed softly in relief. “We got a plan now.”

“You bet we do, no stressin my little gay friend.” 

“Bro,” Sam blushed and both of us laughed. I gotta say, I have no idea where that came from, I just said it. 

-Harley’s POV-

“Hey, lil momma, where you at?” 

I turned the volume up on my phone a little so I could hear Nate a little better. “I’m at the candy place at the south end of the mall. Getting Colby his favorites.”

“Alright, headed over there I’m done,” Nate said. “See you in a bit.”

“Yup,” I hung up and pocketed my phone, then checked out at the counter with the two bags of candy and stood outside of the store. 

“It’s Harley!” A feminine voice said as a young girl approached me wearing Sam and Colby merch. “Hey! Didn’t expect to see you here!”

“Oh hey, love the fit,” I smiled at her. “What’s your names?”

“I’m Abby,” She said. “What are you doing here? Are you alone?”

“No, Nate’s somewhere around here. We’re Christmas shopping for Sam and Colby, shh.”

“Oh, yeah, lips are definitely sealed, but Nate?” She blushed big time. “I’ve had the biggest crush on Nate since the first warehouse video.”

“Oh, he should be here sometime soon he just called to ask where I was.”

“Oh my god, I meant to ask, have you seen the pictures of Colby at the Walgreens down the street some?” Abby asked. “He had pregnancy tests in his bag, were they for you?”

“I mean, I can’t really say no,” I looked down at my stomach which had already grown a decently large bump at only about six weeks. “I wanted to wait to announce it with Colby to the media, so as long as you don’t tell anyone until we do then yes. Colby and I are expecting.”

“Awww!!” Abby cooed. “I want it to be a boy.”

“Yeah, so does Colby. Said he’s gonna specially order XPLR merch in baby clothes and that’s all he’s gonna wear if it’s a boy.”

“But what if it’s a girl?!” Abby asked and both of us laughed. 

“Knowing Colby, he’d probably just order all of it in pink and put it on her anyway.”

“True, true,” Abby giggled. “Damn, you’re so chill. A lot of the fans say you’re kinda bossy and rude in person.”

“Yeah, well, that’s the stereotype for a lot of celebrities until you meet them. Although I have met a couple who are just genuinely rude people,” I rolled my eyes a little. “Hey, I know it’s usually flip-flopped but could I get your number? I’ve been looking for some new people to hang out with. You gotta promise to not give mine out though.”

“Oh, hell yeah,” Abby gave me her phone and I put my number in her phone and she put her number in mine and handed it back to me. “This is surreal, you’re so awesome.”

“Aww, thanks, yeah I guess I just know a genuine person when I find one.”

“Hey, lil momma,” Nate came up behind me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder and looked at Abby in front of me. “Who’s this?”

“Abby,” Abby answered shyly. “I-I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time.”

“Aw, well hey,” Nate hugged her. “You wanna get a picture?”

“Yes,” I stepped back a little so they could take a cute picture, then Abby looked up at him. “You and Sam are really freaking adorable.”

“Aww, thanks, bet he’d love to hear that I’ll have to tell him,” Nate said. 

“It was super nice meeting you, Abby. Don’t be afraid to shoot a text my way. I love talking to people.”

“Yeah, I will,” Abby hugged me. “Bye Harley, bye Nate.”

“See ya,” Nate smiled at Abby before we walked away and I could have sworn I saw happy tears in her eyes as she smiled big and walked the other direction. 

“She was nice,” Nate said as we got back in his car and he started driving us down to the house again. “She got your number?”

“Yeah, figured why not. She didn’t seem like a normal fan. A normal fan would run up to me and put their phone in my face either recording a video or demanding pictures and screaming about the recent drama on the media. Abby came up to me and genuinely just wanted to talk, we had a really chill conversation. She was really cool so I gave her my number.”

“Yeah, she was pretty cool, huh?” Nate said as he pulled into the driveway of the house. “She gives good hugs.”

“Hugs are important,” I nodded as we left his car and made it into the house. “Hey, Corey!”

“Harley!” Corey yelled back.

“We’re home, dude! Where you be?!” I replied. 

“Right here, what’s up?” Corey came down the stairs and hugged me. “You good?”

“Yes, made a new friend too, a fan of Sam and Colby’s. She should be texting me sometime soon.”

“Ooh, shweet, what’d you get for Colby?”

“A bunch of candy, but the biggest gift should be coming in the mail soon. I got him rings from Gucci.”

“Oh shit, he’s gonna adore those,” Corey laughed. “I know what Colby got you and you’re going to freak out.”

“Aww, well, sweet I’m excited,” I smiled as I walked up the stairs. “I’m gonna go put these up. Bye Nate, thank you for taking me out, I had fun!”

“You’re welcome, love you!”

“Love you too, Nate!”


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> one of the best chapters I've ever done. hands down.

-3rd Person-

The next morning, Colby woke up well before Harley did. Meaning there must be something on his mind keeping him awake. He got out of bed and sat on his desk chair, fiddling around with a pen in his hand. He clicked it a few times and sighed softly, then set it back down on the slick black desk. The bedroom door opened and he left. At four thirty in the morning. 

Colby sat on the living room couch and turned the lights on that were on the Christmas tree. It illuminated the room just enough to give it a soft glow but not too much to where he could have just turned a lamp on. He’s thinking about how much his life has changed since everything has gone on. He’s made a fighting effort to keep up his YouTube channel because right now that’s his only source of income. But it’s getting difficult to find the time and focus and mindset to make more videos. 

He’s thinking about how much more his life is about to change. How many things will be different. He thinks it’s difficult now to keep up on media, it’ll be even harder with the baby in the house. Harley’s been okay mentally but Colby’s been stuck in his head a lot lately. Which explains why he’s awake at four in the morning. Five minutes passed and he found himself out on the back patio sitting on a lawn chair, just looking up at the thousands of stars up in the sky that were soon to fade anyway. 

Broken man. It’s the only thing that came up in his head. Broken man with a broken life. All of the memories came flooding back with that thought. Coming home that first night to Harley being raped, then when he himself got kidnapped and raped, then the recovery period that seemed to have hurt his mental state more than the actual kidnapping did. He had to go through all of that and now he’s about to be a father. At twenty-two. 

It’s not the worst age to be a father, but his own plans for his life at this age were definitely thrown out the window. He had plans of traveling the world with Harley. Going to see places that no one usually does. Caves in Ireland and skyscrapers in Dubai. He wanted to show Harley the pyramids in Giza he saw once before with Elton and Sam and Heath. He wanted to go to Fiji and jump in a lagoon of crystal clear water. He wanted to suck down that last taste of freedom and bottle it up to bring it back with him to LA. 

Broken man. 

All of that gone because of a rookie mistake a thirteen year old boy would make. The baby isn’t a mistake, no, he wouldn’t let them believe that. It just- it’s coming at an inconvenient time. An unexpected time. 

He’s a strong tower for so many, feels like all the weight of that is finally taking it’s toll on his shoulders. And staying upright is difficult. He has so many fans with broken homes, broken hearts, and broken hopes that he encourages. For some he’s the only reason their alive. (AU: amen). He’s Harley’s strong tower, she wakes up every other night with a nightmare. She’s terrified of losing the baby, because of having to deal with a loss and on top of that she thinks she’ll lose Colby if she loses the baby. Either from him leaving her or him leaving himself after the loss took its toll on his head. 

His tower is beginning to wobble. 

Pretending not to be so broken is hard. He doesn’t have too many to run to because everyone he usually does probably wouldn’t take his words too well. They’d be hard to digest. That he feels broken and he just needs someone to lean on because his own mental stabillity has been swept out from under him. He needs some support so he can build it back up. Right now he’s holding everything up with crumbling pillars and he’s scared of them crumbling and hurting the things he’s loved and nurtured for so long. 

He has to stay strong for Harley, she’s not the most stable with the baby right now. He has to be strong for Sam who’s still recovering from the hate on the media and is insecure about his own sexuality let alone Nate’s. And he’s gotta supplement his own mental stability because he knows he has to be a good father. He has to make himself ready. Because by God he can’t fuck this up. A kid is different. Not a video series he never really finished. Not a small argument he had with a friend that he can make up for. This isn’t a fan’s baby sister or brother that he holds and hugs for a quick picture. No. This is a child. His child. 

Harley woke up in the shared room and when she noticed Colby had left the room, she knew what had gone on. Usually Colby’s asleep unless he really has to go to the bathroom. Even then he leaves the bedroom door open because he plans on being right back in about six minutes. The door’s closed. She stole one of the many pairs of Colby’s sweatpants and made her way down the stairs. The tree lights were still on but the living room empty. So she turned those lights off and saw a dark figure perched on a chair on the back patio. 

“You’re overthinking,” Harley told him as she sat on the chair next to him. 

“And you’re not?”

“I am,” Harley looked out at the stars. “I just leave it all behind because I know I’m doing it.”

“How?” His icy blue eyes left the stars and reuinited with Harley’s. 

“I take a look at my life right now and ask myself if those overthought thoughts make any sense,” Harley explained. “Debunk it basically.”

“How can you debunk if it all fits?”

“Vent,” Harley settled in her chair facing him. “Tell me your overthought thoughts, babe.”

“It’s not that easy,” Colby scoffed, looking down at his black sweats and back up at Harley shaking his head. “I have to keep it to myself because no one would get it.”

“I bet I would,” Harley treated him with a sympathetic expression. 

“You know that feeling- that amazing feeling when you know you’ve hit your peak. You’ve made it to wherever you dreamt of making it. Where you worked all of your life to get to?”

“Yeah,” Harley nodded, knowing that feeling. “My relationship with you. Continue.”

“Imagine riding that high, then everything that you had just established and built up knocked out from under you.”

“Oh…” Harley frowned softly. “What about it?”

“What am I supposed to do when I know I have to hold everyone else up but all that’s in my hands is rubble? The remains of the things I used to find stability in? That I used for motivation? What am I supposed to do when I’ve lost all of that hope?”

Harley opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out so she sighed softly and closed her mouth once again. Thoughts tossed around her mind, trying to formulate a response. 

“You find someone to lean on until you can build yourself back up.”

Colby- shocked that she somehow managed to quote his mind’s thought from a few minutes ago so accurately- blinked once before responding. “I don’t know who to lean on…”

“Me,” Harley stroked his hand. “It’s what I’m here for. I’ll help build you back up but you gotta let me in.”

Colby hesitated from replying. He felt a bitter pain at the back of his throat and he knew if he spoke that he’d start crying. Thus the words came out anyway along with the tears and wavering voice. “I’m not ready to give them up yet… my dreams for my life… I have to throw them all away and I don't think I can.”

“Who said you had to throw them away?” Harley asked. “What are they?”

“I wanna travel with you. I wanna show you the world. I want to take you everywhere I’ve been so I can show you things that changed my life. But it’s all about to change so much and I’m not ready for it.”

Harley, unable to bear the sight of Colby sitting alone in the chair and crying softly to himself, got up and stood behind his chair, rubbing his back lovingly. “I know, it’s a lot, huh?”

“Yeah,” Colby’s crying hit Harley right in the heart. “I don’t know how you do it.”

“You said yourself that I don’t do this alone, right?” Harley pressed her chest against his back and hugged him from behind. His hand rested on her forearm across his chest. “Just because I’m the one pregnant doesn’t mean I’m the one hit with the most emotion. We’re a team, right? I don’t know about you but ‘team’ to me has always meant we help each other. Not just one person. You can always come to me, baby. I’ll help you, okay? Okay?”

“Yeah,” Colby nodded and a sob shook his entire body, Harley walked around to his front and stood between his legs as he rested his head on her breast, his arms tightly wrapped around her torso as he cried. “I’m just scared.”

“I know,” Harley rubbed his back while her other hand carded through his hair slowly and gently, knowing it’s an anchoring tactic he often uses to help himself calm down. “It’s scary for me too. But like I said, we’re a team, okay? We go through this together.”

“Mhm,” Colby mumbled in reply, finding himself calming down finally. The cries no longer shook his body, but instead his chest rose up and down slowly. 

“It’s okay, dadda,” Harley kissed his head and rested her hand on her stomach, as did Colby. “Baby’s not here yet, but when he or she is, you’re gonna be a good father. Okay? I already know it. And hey, when baby’s old enough we can all travel together, okay? We’ll all go see the world together.”

A small smile crept up onto Colby’s lips. “Yeah, that sounds good.”

Harley lifted his chin and kissed him gently. “Don’t hold it all inside anymore. Come to me. Please. It hurts me knowing you do that. I’m right here and always will be.”

“I will,” Colby stood up and hugged her. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, it’s what I’m here for,” Harley smiled softly and snuggled into his chest. Then her stomach growled. “Okay that’s definitely the baby, I’m never hungry this early.”

“It’s like the baby’s trying to tell us something,” Colby chuckled. “Ah, I don’t wanna let you go. I love you.”

“You wanna go out and get breakfast somewhere?” Harley looked up at Colby.

“Oh, IHop sounds amazing right now.”

“Well, it’s only about five in the morning, so when it gets a little later then yes, it sounds good to me too. Let’s go back inside.”


	31. home - part one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> get to know a little more about Abby in this chapter and the next   
and the last Trap House single gets a soulmate

-about a week later-

“Babe!” 

“Harley!”

“I need you in the bedroom! Now!”

“Coming!”

Colby goofily ran up the stairs and into the bedroom where Harley stood in front of the mirror and pouted a little. 

“What?” Colby asked.

“None of my jeans fit.”

“Aww,” Colby couldn’t help the laugh to escape his lips. He hugged Harley from behind and smiled at her in the mirror. “Baby’s growin’. It’s a good thing, babe.”

“But my jeans don’t fit!” Harley whined. “I don’t wanna go get maternity jeans!”

“You have to, babe! I’ve heard they’re comfy like sweatpants. You might like them. Have you even worn a pair of maternity jeans?”

“No! I’ve never been pregnant before!”

“Well, now you are,” Colby smiled bigger at the comment. “You gotta go get yourself some momma pants.”

“Stoppit!” Harley whined again but couldn’t fight the laugh. “I really really really hate it when you do that.”

“Do what?” Colby raised an eyebrow even though he knew exactly what he was doing. 

“Don’t act like you have no idea, Cole,” Harley rolled her eyes and turned around in his arms to face him. “You’re a butt. I don’t want maternity jeans.”

“I bet you could find some black ones. Then just bring ‘em home and we can rip ‘em or something to make them look less like momma pants.”

“Colby!” Harley rested her forehead on his shoulder. “Stoppit!”

“I’m serious! We could fix ‘em up!” Colby snickered. “Okay, okay, I’ll be done teasing. But hey, I gotta go film with Sam today. How about you see if Devyn wants to go.”

“Devyn’s filming too,” Harley sighed softly, then her entire face lit up as she got an idea. “Abby!”

“Abby?” Colby gave her a puzzled look. “Who’s… Abby?”

“A friend I made,” Harley said. “She’s a big fan of you and Sam. I can shoot her a text and we can have a mall day or something.”

“Sounds like you’re all set. Hey,” Harley looked up from her phone and Colby lifted her chin and kissed her. “I gotta go. I love you. Text me when you get home okay?”

“Yeah,” Harley stood up and hugged him. “Love you too. Be careful. Please. You know how I am about bandos.”

“Yeah, I know,” Colby made his way out the door and chuckled. “You said bandos.”

“Yes, yes I did, because saying ‘abandoned places’ is too much work.”

“Love you, goofball!” Colby yelled up the stairs. 

“Love you too!”

~~~~

“Holy cow,” Abby laughed in shock. “This place is FULL.”

“Yeah, you’d think the mom store would be easy to navigate, no one is ever in it,” Both girls laughed at Harley’s remark

“Considering Christmas is in,” Abby checked her imaginary watch. “5 days, I get why everyone is flooding the place. Last minute purchases.”

“Yeah, well, mine’s pretty last minute. Woke up today to put on some actual jeans to break the daily sweatpant streak and I couldn’t pull them up all the way.” 

Abby burst into a fit of laughter, causing Harley to laugh too, and Abby nodded. “Okay the daily sweatpant streak thing is so me.”

“I think everyone can relate to the sweatpant thing,” Harley agreed. “So, have you done anything for Christmas yet?”

“No, my dad doesn’t really- like Christmas? I don’t know how to put it. He doesn’t like participating because he doesn’t ever have the money to get me anything. I’ll be lucky if he gets me a pack of gum from the store.”

“Aww, I’m sorry,” Harley frowned.

“Nah, it’s okay, I’m used to it by now. He’s been spending all his money on-” She leaned closer to Harley. “Drugs. So he doesn’t ever have enough money for things that really matter. We’re lucky we still have our place. We barely make the deadline for rent.”

“Oh, again, sorry about that,” Harley frowned again. “If you ever need a place to get away, text me and you can come over.”

“You mean- to the Trap House?” She lit up. “Like- with Sam and Colby and Corey and Devyn and Elton?”

“Yeah, well, Sam and Nate got their own place but since Sam and Colby film a lot Sam’s often hanging out at our place.”

“I’ve never met either of them but have been a fan for so long,” Abby admitted, then shook her head. “I’m telling you, my life is finally turning around for good.”

“Yeah,” Harley smiled and side hugged her. “You got that right, buddy.”

The girls spent the day at the mall together and yes, Harley managed to find black maternity jeans that didn’t even look like what they were but fit comfortably. She got a few pairs then bought herself and Abby a drink from Starbucks and they went to the Trap House after. 

“Whoah… it’s much bigger in person,” Abby remarked after opening the front door of the house. Harley followed.

“Hey, Trap House!!” Harley yelled.

“Yeah!!” Elton yelled back.

“New friend!” Harley smiled at Abby and multiple footsteps were heard from upstairs as well as coming from the kitchen. Abby was slightly taken aback as Elton, Corey, Devyn, and Aaron stood in the entryway, each with smiles on their faces. “This is Abby.”

“Hey, Abby, wassup?!” Corey laughed. “Kidding, nice to meet you.”

“Reppin’ that XPLR merch. I see you,” Aaron smiled at her and Abby slightly blushed. 

“Hey, Abby. Harley annoyed you with perkiness yet?” Elton teased. “I'm teasing. It’s nice to meet you, Abby. Harley’s had some good things to say about you.”

“Aww,” Abby smiled at Harley. 

“I’m sorry, I just have to ask, are you wearing makeup?” Devyn asked.

“Nope, this is my real face,” Abby said and everyone laughed. 

“Well then, you’re really pretty,” Devyn complimented.

“Aw, that means a lot coming from you. I’ve idolized you for so long,” Abby told her. “It’s so nice to meet you guys in person. It’s literally taking all of my mental power not to think I’m dreaming right now.”

“Yeah, I get that a lot,” Corey flipped his imaginary long hair and made a laugh ripple throughout the group. 

“Hey, when’s Colby gonna be home?” Harley asked.

“Here soon. Told me he was on his way home a few minutes ago,” Elton said.

“Oh shit, come on, Abby,” Harley pulled Abby up the stairs to the bedroom. “Mind the messiness.”

“Are you kidding, this room is cleaner than mine.”

“Colby would laugh hearing that, he’s always making fun of his messiness,” Harley said and removed the tags from a pair of the jeans she got from the store. “I wanna see if Colby notices.”

“Sweet, I’ll be in here, then.”

Harley went to change in the bathroom and Abby sat on the couch in the bedroom. Her eyes wandered around the room, laughing softly at the sticky notes on the wall that were meant to be a prank but Colby ended up liking the decoration anyway so he kept them up.

Her eyes stopped at the pictures hung on a string of lights along the border of a full length white mirror that had ‘Harley’ written on it with dry erase marker. She got up and looked at them closer. They were poloroid pictures of her and Colby. Ultrasound pictures of the baby with little hearts drawn on them. Pictures of her and Nate, her and Sam, her and Elton. And a few of everyone all together in one picture. Those were the ones that stood out to her the most. 

As a girl from a broken home, it was hard for her to see those pictures because that’s what she longs for. A sense of belonging. A place to be where she’s welcome and wanted, not neglected and abused. She pulled her sleeves down over the bruises on her arms and blinked away the tears that had gathered in her eyes. She just wants an escape from her home life, and she’s hoping that this new friendship will help her find that escape.

“Hello…” Colby entered the bedroom, slightly confused as to why there’s a girl in his room that isn’t Harley. “May I ask who you are?”

“Oh, u-um…” She stuttered nervously, in shock mostly about being face to face with someone she’s wanted to meet in person for years. “I-I um…”

Colby set his backpack down on the couch. “Where’s Harley?”

“Bathroom,” Abby answered quickly, still in shock.

“Okay, thank you, but again, might I ask your name?”

“Abby,” She managed out. “I’m Harley’s f-friend…”

“Oh yeah, she’s told me about you, cool. Nice to finally meet you,” Colby smiled at her, then chuckled at her still wide eyes. “You okay? You look a bit like a deer in headlights.”

“Yeah- I’m- we’re all good,” Abby went pink and looked down. “Just- I’ve wanted to meet you for ages. It’s just- a bit shocking you’re right in front of me.”

“Oh, I don’t bite, come here,” Colby hugged her. “Love the outfit by the way.”

Abby chuckled a little and hugged him back, then released the hug and looked down at her shirt and leggings, both of which XPLR merchandise she ordered online. “Thanks. It’s super comfy. I wear it like- daily.”

“Sweet, gotta represent, right?” Colby nodded and the two stood silent in the awkward quiet for a while. “Hey, Sam’s downstairs, you wanna go meet him?”

“Why’s that a question?” Abby and Colby left the room and went downstairs where Sam sat on a chair at the kitchen table with his laptop and camera uploading footage from the SD card to the laptop so he can edit it for their channel. 

“Hey, Sam, there’s someone who wants to meet you,” Colby told him and the blonde turned in his chair and took his earbuds out of his ears and smiled. 

“Oh hey, who’s this?” He stood up and slid his hands into his pockets. 

“My name’s Abby. I’m a friend of Harley’s and a big fan of you and Colby,” Abby introduced herself. “Were you about to edit?”

“Oh- um, yeah. We just went out on a trip to a bando. Did some filming.”

“What program do you use? I edit videos of my own a lot.”

“Sweet, maybe you could give me some pointers on making it a quicker process.”

Abby sat next to Sam at the table and he gave her one of his earbuds and he took the other as they sat and edited the video together, switching between two programs and making small talk as they went. Colby, seeing as his best friend was happy, smiled with a nod and went back upstairs.


	32. home - part two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I get to keep her?"

“Hey babe? You good in there?”

“Yes,” Harley opened the door. “What do you think?”

“Whoah,” Colby’s eyes fell on her jeans, they were black and ripped and looked like an ordinary pair of ripped jeans. “Damn, see, I told you. Not that bad are they?”

“No,” Harley hugged him. “Where’s Abby?”

“Oh, funny story actually. I had no idea who she was and came into our bedroom and she was just standing there looking at your poloroid mirror. She was terrified when she saw me and like- froze. It took a moment for her to introduce herself but told me it was Abby and she was your friend and a fan.”

“Oh god,” Harley laughed. “So where’s she at now?”

“Let me show you,” Colby took her hand and led her downstairs where he stopped behind Sam and Abby’s chairs as they were discussing details about video editing and how to overlay audio and such. Sam actually ended up teaching Abby a lot more than she taught him. Which was expected as he’s an experienced editor. 

“Sam you’re stealing my friend,” Harley remarked and hugged him from behind. 

“Oh, hey, Harley,” Sam hugged her back. “We’re just giving each other pointers about editing.”

“Hey, lil momma!” The front door opened and Nate came in. Harley excitedly hugged him. 

“Hey, Nate! You know, I think that nickname is growing on me,” Harley admitted.

“Because it’s cute or because I call you that?”

“More like it’s the first thing you say when you see me and then I get to see you.”

“Okay, Harley, now you’re stealing my boyfriend,” Samt got up and greeted Nate with a kiss. “Hey baby.”

“Hey, what you up to?” Nate walked back into the kitchen with the Sam and Harley. Abby looked away from talking to Colby and smiled at Nate. “Oh hey! Mall girl!”

“Abby,” Abby laughed. “It’s Abby, Nate. Get it right.”

“Sorry, I suck at names,” He hugged her and went back to having his arm around Sam. “Y’all editing or something? Looks like whole editing circle thing. Like a buddy’s club of editing or something.”

“Funny,” Sam snickered. “No, she’s just giving me some pointers. But at this point I’m not gonna get any editing done anyway so I’ll use them later.”

Sam shut his laptop and Aaron, who was sitting on the couch in the living room with Buddy curled up in a ball on his lap, called out for Abby. “Hey, Abby, you played Fortnite before?”

“Oh, Aaron, honey, I’m the best there is,” Abby joined him on the couch and Buddy looked up at her, then left Aaron’s lap and curled up on hers, his little pink tongue licking her hand before he closed his eyes. 

“Oh snap,” Sam snickered. “Fortnite is his game there, Abby. He’s beast at it.”

“I know, I’ve seen the videos,” Abby said as Aaron handed her a controller and turned the other Xbox on. Yes, they now have two televisions and two Xboxes in the living room for the sole purpose of playing Fortnite together. “I’ve wanted to play against him for ages.”

“Bet, we’re about to do that right now,” Aaron said as they got the game set up and they started a round together. 

Colby and Harley and Sam and Nate sat on the couches with each other, one couple per couch. (If that isn’t foreshadowing I don’t know what is.)

Harley laid her head on Colby’s shoulder. Seeing as they were on the furthest couch from the others, she felt okay asking him the question to pop up in her head. She spoke softly just in case. “How are you feeling? With- everything.”

Remembering the talk that the couple had a while back about his mental health, Colby nodded and softly answered. “You know, lately, I’ve been feeling pretty good actually.”

“Honest?” Harley asked.

“One hundred and ten percent,” Colby replied and grinned before kissing her. “Thanks for asking. I love you.”

“I love you too, and I ask because I love you. I wanna make sure you’re okay, too.”

“And how about you?” He asked her. “How are you feeling?”

“You know, really good, actually,” Harley answered and smiled up at him. “Life’s been pretty good lately. I don’t have a reason to be upset about anything.”

“I agree,” Harley laid her head back on his shoulder and watched Aaron and Abby take turns winning and losing games and yelling playful insults at each other. 

“I think Aaron found his person,” Harley whispered to Colby and he chuckled.

“Yeah, I’d say so,” Coldby said. “She’s taken his dog and beat him at his best game and he isn’t phased in the slightest.”

The gaming went on and eventually Sam and Nate said goodnight and left, Corey and Devyn were upstairs the entire night. Everything was peaceful and happy until Abby’s phone rang and she went pale looking at the screen. “It’s my dad.”

Abby stood up and went out the back door to call her dad. Colby picked up her controller and played with Aaron whilst Harley waited for Abby to get off the phone. Once she saw through the window that Abby put her phone in her back pocket and sit on the lawn chair the same way Colby did that one morning, Harley got up and met her outside. 

“What was that about? Everything okay?” 

“No,” Abby scoffed softly as her eyes watered and she stood up. “I gotta go. My dad’s pissed.”

“Okay, um, text me when you can. I had fun today.”

“Thank you,” Abby hugged her. “Today was a dream.”

The two made it inside and Aaron paused the game to get up and hug Abby goodbye. “You okay?”

Abby hung onto Aaron longer and tighter than a normal hug. “Yeah… I’ll be okay. Thank you, I had fun.”

“Yeah.”

We watched out the front door as she got in her car and drove away. Then we sat back in the living room and Aaron turned the Xbox off with a soft frown. 

“You okay, buddy?” Colby asked him.

“It’s not as fun without her. I just- I’m gonna go to bed anyway. Night guys.”

“Night, Aaron,” Harley said as he went upstairs with Buddy in his arms, then looked over at Colby and she softly frowned.

“Now that-” Colby scoffed a little. “That is a man who’s heart has just been stolen.”

“I know,” Harley looked to the front door. “I just- I hope she’s okay.”

“What was the phone call about?” Colby asked as the couple made their way into their bedroom, shut the door, and got into bed. 

“Her dad- um- is a druggee, to put it in nicer terms. He’s not the nicest to her and she’s not the happiest there.”

“Oh,” Colby hugged Harley’s body to his. “Well, I bet she’ll be okay. You told her she can always come over, right?”

“Yeah, obviously, it’s the Trap House way,” Harley kissed him. “I love you.”

“I love you too, baby. Goodnight.”

“Night.”

~~~~

“Babe, hey,” Colby woke Harley early the next morning. “Abby’s called you three times in the last two minutes.”

“Oh,” She took her phone from Colby and Abby called back as soon as Harley held the phone. “Hello?”

Abby’s on speaker so Colby can hear too. “Harley I- I need to come over.”

“Are you crying? Abby what’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“I-I just-” She sobbed. “I need to come over. I need a place to stay.”

“Okay, yeah, come over I’ll be waiting for you.”

“Thank you so much,” Abby hung up and immediately both of them ran downstairs and stood at the front door waiting for Abby. 

She pulled up and parked her car, got out, and Harley immediately hugged her as she broke into sobs in her arms. “Hey, hey, it’s okay, you’re okay.”

Harley helped the younger girl into the house and onto the couch. Colby turned the lights on and that’s when they saw the bruises all over her arms and legs and the scar on her cheek that was bleeding slowly. 

“Whoah… hold on,” Colby ran into the bathroom and grabbed the first aid kit and Harley helped him help Abby clean up. “What happened?”

“He- he got mad when I came home last night and-” She took a break and cried softly, then continued as Harley rubbed her shoulder. “He was b-beat me and told me that by this morning I had to find some- somewhere else to live.”

“Oh, come here,” Harley pulled her into a hug and Abby cried into her shoulder. Colby stood up and pointed upstairs at Aaron’s room. Harley nodded and Colby left up the stairs. She looked back down at Abby and rubbed her back. “Shh, you’re okay, you’re safe now you’re with us. We’ll get him in trouble, okay? We’ll fix this. It’s okay.”

Aaron and Colby came down the stairs and Aaron froze when he saw Abby, a frown on his face. “Abby? Wha- what happened?”

Abby, hearing his voice, turned to look at him and as soon as she did she got up and ran into his arms. Aaron held her close and tight as she cried and clutched onto his shirt tightly. Harley stood up and wrapped her arms around Colby’s waist from the side and frowned softly at the sight of Abby looking just so broken. 

“He- he hurt me…” Abby choked out in reply to Aaron’s question. “I- I just need a hug.”

Aaron’s eyes watered at the sound of her voice and what she said, and he walked her to the couch and they sat down. Abby immediately burying her face into Aaron’s chest as he wrapped both arms around her and rested his chin on her head. 

“You’re okay, I got you now,” Aaron told her. “It’s okay, Abby.”

Soon enough, Abby had cried herself to sleep on Aaron’s chest, and that’s when the group discussed what they should do about the situation.

“Should we tell someone?” Aaron asked quietly.

“Yeah, obviously,” Colby pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Isn’t there like- a substance abuse hotline or something?”

“Yeah, but don’t call them they’re gonna take ages getting Abby justice.”

“So the cops? Colby asked.

“Yes,” Harley dug into the closet and pulled out a throw blanket, draping it over Abby and Aaron. Colby put the phone to his ear and went out the back door. 

“Her cut’s bleeding,” Aaron mumbled as he looked down onto Abby’s cheek and saw that her cut was indeed bleeding. He frowned softly. “I feel so many emotions with this girl.”

“Yeah,” Harley smiled softly as she placed a bandaid over Abby’s cut very carefully. “Happens when you’re in love with someone.”

“What?” Aaron blushed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Aaron do you see yourself?” Harley chuckled a little and stood back to motion towards the blanket covered blob of Aaron and Abby. “You’re currently her bed, buddy. She beat you at your best game last night and you were laughing about it, and Buddy left your lap to sit in hers.”

“Yeah, maybe I’m in love with her,” Aaron admitted. “But we have to get her dad in trouble. Big trouble.”

“We will,” Colby said as he looked up from his phone and pocketed it. “I just told them about the situation and they surprisingly knew exactly who I was talking about and where he was.”

“Thank god, what about Abby?” Aaron asked.

“The guy said that as long as she’s safe and she’s happy and she’s recovering he didn’t have a problem if she stayed with us from now on.”

“Wait- really?” Aaron lit up and wrapped his arms around Abby again. “I get to keep her?”

“Yes,” Harley laughed a little. “You can keep her. But you have to promise you’ll take good care of her.” 

“I don’t think he needs to promise, babe,” Colby said and kissed Harley’s head. “I think she’ll be just fine.”

~~~~

Later, when Abby woke up, Aaron told her she would be staying at the Trap House from now on and that she’d get to see Aaron every day now and they could play Fortnite every day and hang out. The entire time Aaron was explaining it to her, Abby was crying with tears of pure happiness and she hugged Aaron, sighing in relief that she’s finally safe.


End file.
